


Evermore

by IICLHLove



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon, Bending (Avatar), Childhood Friends, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Love, POV Zuko (Avatar), Protective Zuko (Avatar), Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 125,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26912413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IICLHLove/pseuds/IICLHLove
Summary: ATLA-retelling with an OC!After the first encounter with the Avatar at the South Pole, Zuko wants to repair his ship as quickly as possible. He did not expect to see a girl from his past come back into his life, not now when everything has to be focused on finding the Avatar. Yet destiny has a way of its own.Book 1: completeBook 2: in-progress
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 63
Kudos: 87





	1. Prologue

_Prologue_

"Not fair! You cheated!" the eight year old boy yelled.

Laughter filled the palace garden. A six year old girl stood on the marble stones of the fountain with a wide grin. Her auburn-coloured curls danced around when she jumped down.

"I won, Your Highness" she said with a mocking bow. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Only because I let you" he said in a brooding tone.

The girl pouted her lips to supress her smile. "Don't be mad" she said in a honeysweet tone.

The raven-haired boy smiled back at the girl, giving her a soft push. She played along and let herself fall onto the grass with a giggle.

"Beaten by the Fire Lord! Totally unintentionally!" she yelled with a dramatic voice.

Two older women were watching the playing pair with a smile. One of them had long raven black hair with soft golden eyes. She had her hair in the Fire Nation-style topknot, signalling her high status. The other woman had a tanned skin with chocolate-coloured waves and eyes like the morning sky.

"Elyrie has my son wrapped around her little finger" the golden eyed woman said with a loving smile.

The other woman looked at the boy and the girl, who had begun a playful sparring match. She smiled, seeing that the boy carefully blocked the girl's attacks and encouraged her to try again.

"I am glad they get along so well" she answered with a smile, filled with motherly love while looking at her blue-eyed daughter.

* * *

"Beautifully played" the Fire Lady said to the ten year old girl.

Elyrie beamed with pride, glad that the Fire Lady appreciated it. She loved playing the piano, but even more singing along with it.

"You, on the other hand, could use a bit more practice" the older woman continued, gently scolding her twelve year old son. The older boy groaned and gave her a brooding look.

"Why am I suppose to learn this?" he pouted, while tapping his fingers impatiently on the tsungi horn.

Elyrie giggled.

The boy frowned at her and said "I still beat you in a sparring match, Lily"

Her laughter abruptly stopped. "Only because you get real training" she said indignantly.

Ursa smiled at the bickering pair, wisely shaking her head.

* * *

At the early morning hours, a small cloaked figure was standing at the docks. It was barely dawn, the sun still finding his way above the volcano. The cloacked figure, a girl of barely sixteen years old, made her way to a small Fire Nation ship. She saw the crew carrying on the luggage and necessities. The ship would soon set sail, she thought. Her eyes frantically searched the ship, looking for any sign of him.

She saw him. His back was turned to her, but she recognized him even so. His raven hair was shaved except for a small ponytail, his left eye still covered with a bandage. She repressed a shudder. She still could not believe all this had happened.

"Zuko!" she yelled.

Zuko looked down, seeing her small figure. He immediately made his way down, back to the dock. When he had made his way down, she started running towards him. She did not slow down when he came closer, but wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself up to be able to reach him. He was much taller than she was, so she stood on the tip of her toes. He was surprised, but only for a moment and he automatically put his arms around her waist. He pulled her closer, burying his face in her thick auburn hair. No words were said while the pair stood there.

Far too soon for his liking, she pulled back to look at him. His good eye searched her face, trying to remember every small detail. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"I'll miss you" she whispered.

He pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll miss you too, but I will return before you know it." He said, trying to reassure her. She only gave him a small smile, not convinced.

Zuko noticed his uncle standing beside him. Elyrie let go of Zuko to embrace the older man.

"Goodbye Uncle" she said to him, wiping away a tear.

Iroh smiled at the girl and pinched her cheek. "Goodbye, dear."

He then turned to his nephew and said in a fatherly voice "Prince Zuko, we need to go now. It is almost dawn."

Zuko nodded to his Uncle and gazed back at Elyrie. Her blue eyes met his golden eyes. 

"Goodbye" she said in a sad voice, barely more than a whisper.

He lifted his hand and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. He let his hand rest for a moment against her cheek, before pulling back.

"Goodbye Lily".


	2. The Reunion

**This story is my take on the fantastic Avatar: The Last Airbender series!**

**For this story, I aged up the characters because I plan to tackle a few more adult themes in the story. So Zuko is 23 at the beginning of the story and he was banished at 18. Elyrie is roughly two years younger than he is, so she is 21 at the beginning of the story.**

**The Gaang is also older than in the original series, with Aang being 19 years old, Katara 21 and Sokka 23! Enjoy 😊**

* * *

**Book 1: Water**

* * *

As soon as his ship had docked at the nearest harbour, Prince Zuko rushed onto the land.

"I want the ship repaired as quickly as possible" he said to his older Uncle who walked behind him. "I don't want to lose his trail".

"You mean the Avatar?" his Uncle answered.

Zuko quickly spun around angerly and faced his Uncle. "Don't mention his name on these docks! As soon as word gets out that he is alive, every firebender will be after him. I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what?" said a deep voice behind him

* * *

At the same harbour, a young woman was finishing her book. She had begun reading "Love amongs the Dragons" when she had been a girl, but never found the time to pick it up again. Now she had nothing but time. Usually it was the duty of engaged young women to entertain large parties and call upon other noble ladies, but since her fiancé was a naval commander she had been restricted to the harbour for these last few weeks. She was lucky to be surrounded by such kind maidservants, otherwise she would have surely been bored to dead within a week.

She sighed, put her book down and started to softly hum to herself. She fixed her hair, since it was almost time for tea. Undoubtedly, during the tea the commander would boast over his new ship or a recent victory for the Fire Nation which he had secured. Always the same things, but she never saw the point in the war. She was clever enough not to speak her opinion out loud, but instead smiled and nodded. As was expected of a dutiful fiancée. She went downstairs to the hall, which was filled with Fire Nation symbols.

She mentally rolled her eyes at all the grandeur, but stopped when she heard muffled voices. The door was slightly cracked, so she could hear the what they were saying as they approached. She heard the commanders voice

"You must regale me with all the thrilling details. Join me for a drink?".

Another voice, belonging to a younger man, answered: "Sorry, but we have to go."

A third voice quickly followed by saying "Prince Zuko, show commander Zhao your respect. We would be honoured to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favourite."

Her heart skipped a beat.

* * *

Zuko angerly followed his Uncle inside, mentally damning him for accepting Zhao's offer. He did not want tea and he certainly did not want to drink it with Zhao. He had finally found the Avatar after five long years, only to risk losing him again by drinking tea.

He only listened half when Zhao opened the door and said "Please, I would so much like to introduce my fiancée to the Fire Lord's brother and son."

Zuko looked at him and shrugged. He did not care for Zhao's fiancée. No doubt it would be a Fire Nation noble woman. Demure and quiet, nodding at every sentence Zhao uttered and praising his every move when asked. He knew those ladies, he grew up around them. He stepped inside and looked at the woman by Zhao's side. His heart skipped a beat.

"Elyrie", he whispered.

It had almost been five years since he last saw her. Then she had been a pretty sixteen year old, but now she had grown into a beautiful woman. She was dressed in the finest red silk, befitting the fiancée of a high ranking Fire Nation commander. She had grown taller, with a small waist and long legs, which gave her a mature elegance. Her skin was the colour of ivory, and her dark hair and eyebrows formed a pretty contrast. Her sweet, heartshaped face looked surprised, but then her full pink lips formed into a broad smile at the sight of him. That smile had not changed since she was six years old and still made him feel happy every time he saw it. Today was, despite everything, not an exception. He finally looked her in her eyes, which were an unusual shade for the Fire Nation. Her curly auburn hair already made her an exception among the sleek and blackhaired Fire Nation citizens, but her dark blue eyes had made her standout from a young age.

The smile did not lessen when she approached him and Uncle. Like Fire Nation-etiquette dictates, she first greeted Uncle with a respectful bow.

'General Iroh, I am very pleased to see you again after such a long time' she said with her sweet voice. That soft voice brought him back, to the times where he, she and his mother played the piano and sang together. He quickly suppressed that memory.

Uncle Iroh smiled widely at the young woman, and took her small hands in his. 'My dear, you have grown even lovelier over the years. I am glad to see you as well. It has been a real hard job to find a worthy opponent in Pai Sho, since Prince Zuko does not have the patience."

She laughed and turned to Zuko. She made a curtsy, but with her lips pressed together as if to hold back her laughter. He knew why. She had always found it funny to bow to him, even when he assured her she wouldn't need to do it. But with her fiancé standing beside her, she had no choice but to follow the proper etiquette.

"Prince Zuko, I am so very happy to see you again" she said. The golden eyes looked in to the blue ones and he felt himself smile back at her. It had been a long time since he had smiled, but he would very gladly do it for her.

"It is certainly nice to see you again. Let me congratulate you on your engagement" he said stiffly. She noticed and wanted to answer, before she retook herself, smiled sweetly and bowed again.

"I thought you would appreciate a meeting with my fiancée" Zhao said smugly. She slightly winced at the word 'fiancée', but no more than a second before she smiled again at the pair before her.

"Would you like to join us for a cup of ginseng tea? And perhaps some cakes?" she asked.

Uncle chuckled, "You remembered. How could I refuse such a kind offer?". Again she laughed, and took the arm Uncle had extended to her.

Zuko watched them, while he and Zhao followed.

"She is beautiful, is she not? One of the finest noblewomen in the Fire Nation. We plan to marry this summer, after Sozin's Comet." Zhao said. Zuko nodded absentmindedly. Elyrie engaged to commander Zhao, his best friend engaged to such a pompous man. He could not believe it.

While talking to General Iroh, who amused her greatly, Elyrie glanced back to Zuko and Zhao. Zuko had changed, she noticed. He had become a grown man at 23 years old. Five long years she had not seen him and General Iroh, yet it seemed not a day had gone by. Iroh told her about their journeys to the Air Temples and the Earth Kingdom, to which she listened with great enthusiasm. They truly travelled all over the world, she thought. She looked over her shoulder and met Zuko's golden eyes. She smiled at him. He had become more muscular and his features were still handsome and strong, with beautiful golden eyes. The most prominent change in his appearance was his scar, that completely covered his left eye up to his ear. The burned flesh looked rough and was shaped like a flame. ' _I won't fight you_ ' she involuntarily remembered. She quickly supressed the memory.

She looked at Iroh, who had not changed in five years. He looked like the same kind old man she remembered. As close as Zuko was to Iroh growing up, so had she been. She smiled at the memory of Iroh teaching them Pai Sho, with Zuko losing his temper and quitting the game rather quickly. It all seemed like yesterday.

"And then, we encountered the most beautiful flowers in the Earth Kingdom" said Iroh, interrupting her thoughts. "They were the loveliest shade of blue and red, but you should have been there to try the sweet sticky rice!"

She smiled fondly at the older man, who turned to her and asked "How have you been, my dear? Did you continue with your studies?"

She nodded and proceeded to tell about her courses, which were quit extensive. "I tried to learn as many languages as possible, since I hoped to see more of the world."

"Don't you travel with the commander now?" Iroh asked her. She shook her head. "Unfortunately not, since we are docked at this harbour most of the time." They arrived at the sitting room and she started to pour the tea.

Zuko observed her, as he took a seat. She heated the teapot with a quick flick of her wrist and poured the hot drink. She then took a seat and listened to the conversation between Iroh and Zhao. Her eyes switched between the two men, as if she made mental notes of the conversation to remember them later. She then looked at Zuko over her cup and winked. He felt his cheeks heat up. It had been a long time since a woman had winked at him so playfully. He quickly looked away and when he looked back up, she glanced at him with a amused grin. He mentally shook his head. After all this time, she was still that playful little girl yet he had not been playful for a long time.

Elyrie noticed his eyes getting darker and frowned. She wanted to tell him so much and ask him even more, but it was not possible with Zhao in the room. She sighed and listened again at the conversation of the older men.

"And by years end, the Earth Kingdom will be under our rule. The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool." Zuko said. Elyrie looked at him, pleasantly surprised. She had been thinking the same for quite some time, yet never spoke.

"Five years at sea have done little to temper your tongue" Zhao sneered at the prince. Elyrie sighed, since she was familiar with that response.

She looked at Zuko and gave him a small, encouraging smile. "But I do think we underestimate the power of the Earth Kingdom, like prince Zuko says. They did not survive a hundred year war by mere accident" she said.

Zhao looked at her, but turned back to Iroh as he said "We discuss this later, we must not bore the lady."

Zuko's quickly looked up at Elyrie, who pressed her lips together and looked at the teapot with an irritated look in her eyes.

Zhao did not seem to notice and turned to Zuko. "So, how's your search for the Avatar going?"

"We haven't found him yet" Zuko said, while looking at Zhao.

"Did you really expect to?" the older man said mockingly, "The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the airbenders."

Elyrie saw Zuko looked away, which Zhao noticed too. "Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive" Zhao continued.

"No, nothing" Zuko answered.

Elyrie silently hoped that Zhao did not notice the small twitch of Zuko's mouth. Prince Zuko was many things, but a good liar was not one of them. As smoothly as his sister could lie, that is how terrible Zuko was. The Avatar was alive and Zuko somehow encountered him, she was sure of it.

She said nothing and looked down as Zhao said "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you found."

Zuko looked at Zhao defyingly as he said "I haven't found anything." And added, without breaking eye contact "It is like you said: the Avatar probably died a long time ago."


	3. Unexpected Revealings

At that moment, a soldier entered. "Commander Zhao, we have an urgent message from the colonies."

Zhao looked away from Zuko as he stood up.

"Very well." He turned back to Iroh and Zuko "Please finish your drinks, my fiancée will entertain you for the time being."

He left with a nod to Elyrie, who in turn nodded back. After he had closed the door behind him, Elyrie smiled broadly and said to Iroh.

"I hope the tea is to your satisfaction, General?"

"It is delicious, thank you very much. But I would wish you to call me 'Uncle' again, as you used to do." He replied with a tender smile.

Elyrie sighed, "It does feel more natural to do that, but I am afraid it would go against de proper etiquette", she said mockingly.

Iroh laughed and looked at Zuko at this reply. Zuko cocked an eyebrow at her sudden twist in behaviour. As soon as Zhao had left, she seemed to have dropped her mask and looked like a little girl again. Her eyes twinkled as she turned to him.

"I would love to hear about your travels".

She looked at him and he suddenly realised this was the first time she saw him with his distinctive scar. He looked away self-consciously as he mumbled something about the Air Temples. When he looked back, she continued to look into his eyes. She had not flinched or looked at his scar, he realised. Like she does not notice it. Normally people look at his scar, then away before trying to hold eye contact. Even worse were the stares people gave when they thought he did not notice. The only other person who looked at him like a normal person, was Uncle. He thought about the little wink she gave, as if he was a normal man. It made him feel.. good?

Iroh resumed the conversation about the war effort. Elyrie was glad, since she would love to discuss her interests with the kind General. He would certainly not underestimate her regarding politics or warfare. As a noble woman, she had the possibility to study unlike most women. Her father always taught her to make the most of what you got and since she had been blessed with a keen mind and natural curiosity, she eagerly studied. She remembered her fathers proud smile when her tutor told him she was an excellent student and had a talent for languages and history. After that, her father began to tutor her on political subjects and philosophy. Those hours in the library seemed like a lifetime ago now, she thought melancholically. She continued her speech about the situation in the Earth Kingdom and the colonies, discussing the domineering attitude of the Fire Nation in those regions.

Iroh looked at her and realised she had been listening to Zhao's conversations. She listened and learned, even though she was not suppose to as the fiancée of the commander. Zuko noticed it as well, as well as her softer view on the citizens. She spoke passionately about the situation for the normal citizens and how the Fire Nation drained the resources, which led to shortages.

Iroh smiled, knowing she was a compassionate person and would love to be able to help. If she had not been engaged, she would have been a fine diplomat. _Or even a Fire Lady_ , he thought absentmindedly as he looked at his nephew.

Zuko had joined the conversation and discussed the unwillingness of the Earth Kingdom citizens to surrender. Elyrie listened and asked if the people of the Earth Kingdom were as unwavering as their element. Zuko talked about the small villages he visited and how even the poorest people had a strong sense of pride. As a Fire Nation Prince, he was not very well received but looking back, he admired their pride and loyalty to their own country.

Elyrie listened and smiled, unable to help herself. It seemed like no time had passed between them. They could speak as freely with each other as they used to. She preceded to pour another cup of tea, wanting to hear much more.

But when she reached for the teapot, Zhao entered the room again with two guards. Elyrie froze as she noticed the smug look on his face. _Something is wrong_ , she thought.

Zhao stepped into the room and looked directly at the young Prince.

"I have received fascinating news" he said. "I interrogated your crew and they confirmed that you had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."

Zuko raised his head in alarm. Iroh sighed. Elyrie looked at Zuko, confirming what she already thought. The message from the colonies had been a lie, so he could slyly go behind the Fire Prince's back, she realised. Zhao always thought a step ahead when he felt he could gain something from a situation. The crew was already questioned during their tea.

"Now remind me, how exactly was your ship damaged?" the Commander asked smugly.

Zuko refused to look at Zhao, who came closer. Instead, he looked at Elyrie and met her blue eyes. He saw compassion in them, but also curiosity.

Zuko sighed, looked at his cup and told the whole story: how they noticed a ray of light at the South Pole, how he saw the Avatar playing with a waterbending girl, how he invaded the village and was surprised to find the Avatar being a teenager. Elyrie cocked her eyebrow at this information, since she had long believed the Avatar to be an old man by now. She never believed the Avatar had been in hiding during the Hundred Year War, since it was his duty to restore balance to the world. He must have been around nineteen years old when he disappeared, she quickly calculated.

Zuko grudgingly told his story to Zhao; he told about the attack on his ship where the Avatar, a teenage boy, brought half an iceberg down. Even worse, he had him in captivity but the young monk escaped within hours of his capture on a flying bison. Zhao frowned at all this information, torn between disbelief and enthusiasm. _The greatest threat to the Fire Nation was nothing more than a boy_ , he though smugly.

"So a nineteen year old boy bested you and your firebenders. You're more pathetic than I thought." Zhao spat at Zuko with an arrogant look on his face.

Elyrie stared at the Commander with disbelief. He had no right to call Zuko pathetic, since the Avatar was known to have enormous power and ability regarding bending. He was, and still is, the greatest threat to the Fire Nation, she thought to herself. She looked at Zuko, whose jaw was clenched as he listened to the Commander.

"I underestimated him once," Zuko said, "but it will not happen again."

"No, it will not." Zhao said without looking at him, "because you won't have a second chance."

Zuko's eyes widened in disbelief. "Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for five years, and I –".

"And you failed!" Zhao said, raising his voice. As he said it, he turned around with a quick firebending motion to strengthen his words. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a boy's hands. He's mine now."

Zuko lunged at him in anger, but two guard quickly seized him and held him down.

"Keep them here." Zhao said and he motioned to Elyrie to follow him. Elyrie quickly looked at Zuko, who stared full hatred at the commander. Iroh gave her a quick nod, so she rose and made her way to the door. As soon as she had left the table, Zuko made a swift kicking motion. The table was flipped and broke, along with the teapot.

Iroh sighed and said "More tea please."

Elyrie followed Zhao. "What are you planning to do now?" she asked softly while keeping up with him.

Without looking at her, he answered "Capturing the Avatar will bring great glory, so I will be the one who seizes him and delivers him to the Fire Lord."

"I am sure you will capture him within a few weeks." Elyrie said timidly, completely playing her part as praising fiancée. "You must already be on his trail, aren't you?" she added softly.

Zhao turned around, smiling arrogantly. "Of course! A flying bison is not that hard to miss. The last hour I received a hawk about a great flying animal flying north. The first stop must be a small island, not far from the Southern Air Temple."

Elyrie looked down with a small smile and softly praised his intelligence and cunning demeanour.

"My search party is almost ready, so pack your belongings." She bowed and made her way to her room.

Jin, her maidservant, was waiting for her in her room to help her pack for the journey. Elyrie smiled at her and gathered her things as quickly as she could. After half an hour most things were packed, but asked if she could be left alone for a moment. The darkhaired girl nodded and left the room, with closing the door after her. As soon as the door was closed, Elyrie grabbed her atlas and started to look through the pages. She found a map of the Southern part of the Earth Kingdom. With her finger on the page, she scanned for a small island which matched the location that Zhao had described. After a few minutes, she concluded that he meant Kyoshi Island. It was not far from the Southern Air Temple and lay far out in the ocean of the Earth Kingdom. She took a small piece of paper and wrote it down neatly. She folded the paper and hid it in her bracelet.

After she had put away her atlas, she heard a knock on the door. "Enter" she said, quickly checking her bracelet.

Jin entered the room and said "Commander Zhao requests your presence in the sitting room, Miss."

Elyrie thanked her and quickly made her way back to the sitting room.

She returned to find Zuko and Iroh sitting in chairs. Zuko had his arms crossed and stared broodingly at the ground. Iroh drank a new cup of tea and looked up when she entered the room.

Zhao quickly followed her and said: "My search party is ready. Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to you ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why?" Zuko asked angry, "are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?"

Zhao laughed mockingly as he looked at the young prince. "You.. stop me? Impossible" he said.

Zuko stood up and told Zhao not to underestimate him. Elyrie looked at the two men with an uneasy feeling. _This can not end well_ , she thought nervously.

"I will capture the Avatar before you" Zuko continued while he looked at Zhao with disdain.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough." Iroh said calmly as he rose from his seat as well.

"You can't compete with me." Zhao said condescendingly "I have hundreds of warships under my command and you're just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you."

"You're wrong" Zuko snapped, "Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with honour and restore my rightful place on the throne." Elyrie noticed the slight tremble in his voice, as if he was trying to convince himself of his father's love.

"If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now. Avatar or no Avatar." Zhao said coldy.

Elyrie hated to admit it, but she agreed with Zhao on this point. She knew the Fire Lord was a cold man with ruthless ambition. He had cast away his son without a second thought, as if he meant nothing to him. She never said it out loud, but she was convinced the Fire Lord was not capable of loving his son.

"In his eyes, you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation." Zhao continued.

"That is not true" Zuko said, averting his eyes from the older commander as he tried to control his temper.

"You have the scar to prove it" Zhao added with a cruel smile on his thin lips.

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" Zuko roared, finally losing his temper. Elyrie's blood grew cold when she heard those words.

"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked with a small smile.

"An Agni Kai. At sunset" Zuko said while staring at the commander with hatred. Elyrie looked at the commander with fright, hoping he would refuse.

"Very well." Zhao said, crushing her hopes. "It is a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle and my fiancée will do." He turned around and left the room.

Elyrie's hands were shaking as she looked at Iroh. He had the same worried look in his eyes as he said "Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you duelled a master?" Zuko continued to stare in front of him, completely ignoring his surroundings.

Elyrie looked back at him and met his golden eyes, which were filled with hate and determination as he answered "I will never forget."


	4. Agni Kai

Elyrie had eaten but little as sunset approached. In the hours following the challenges, her suitcases were moved to the greatest warship in the harbour. She had her own room at the upper level of the ship, with a window opening with a view on the back of the ship. She looked out of the window at the setting sun, which made his way closer and closer to the surface of the water. It was a lovely sight, but she could not enjoy it. She looked at the smaller ship next to the great warship, which belonged to Zuko and Iroh. She had seen Zuko returning to his ship a few hours ago, but had not seen him since. She nervously played with her bracelet, which still had the small piece of paper hidden in it. She had hoped to give it quietly to Zuko, but it all seemed useless now.

An Agni Kai was a duel of honour: who cannot live with honour, must die with honour. Those words were repeated to her again and again, when she was younger. The ancient tradition was used to settle a dispute, but only after Fire Lord Sozins ascent to the throne had the outcome become more deadly. Burning the defeated party had not been enough, she thought wryly. She continued to bite her nails, unable to calm herself.

After a few minutes, Jin had returned to help her change for dinner but Elyrie told her she was not hungry. Instead, she asked Jin to take down her complicated hair updo. Jin obliged, but looked at her lady with concern. Lady Elyrie had been kind to her, which was unusual in the Fire Nation. Most noblewomen treated their servants as property or things without feelings. Lady Elyrie treated everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of their rank. As her maidservant and official chaperone, Jin had become fond of the girl who was only a few years younger than herself. She loved to talk with her, as they shared the same humour but tonight nothing seemed to distract her.

Jin sighed and took down Elyrie's long auburn curls. When all her hair was down, she carefully brushed it. Elyrie looked at Jin in the mirror and smiled weakly at her. Jin gave her an encouraging smile, as she knew how much her lady worried about the banished prince. She had told her about her childhood in the Fire Nation Capital and how she loved to play the piano with the Fire Lady and prince. When Jin was finished brushing her hair, Elyrie asked her to leave it down. Jin frowned, since it was uncommon for engaged women to wear their hair down. But Elyrie looked at her with such sad eyes, she obliged without further questions.

"Do you need anything else, Miss?" Jin asked softly while giving the auburn curls a last stroke with the comb.

"No, thank you" Elyrie answered, turning around to face Jin.

 _She looks so sad_ , Jin thought. "Why don't you play a little bit, Miss? It will be at least an more hour until sunset."

Elyrie eyes lightened at this suggestion. "Why, yes! What a great idea, Jin. Thank you very much", she said with a warm smile at the darkhaired woman. She was thankful for her maidservant, whom she viewed as friend.

Jin bowed with a smile and left the room to give Elyrie some privacy. She softly closed the door, happy to see her lady in a more cheerful mood.

Elyrie walked towards her small piano, which was located near the window. She opened the shutter completely and inhaled the fresh air. Then she sat down and lovingly stroked the keys. The lullaby the Fire Lady had taught her kept going through her head. In her mind, she saw Fire Lady Ursa patiently teaching her the song. Her small legs barely able to reach the paddles, a young Zuko listening with a smile. She started to play the melody, softly and surely.

_Don't you dare look out your window_

_Darling, everything's on fire_

_The war outside our door keeps raging on_

_Hold on to this lullaby_

_Even when the music's gone_

She sang the simple words of love and kindness, all while trying to control her racing heart. As she continued to play the instrument, her heart began to slow down and she started to sing with more confidence. Lovely melodies filled her room and travelled out of her window to the deck of the ship. The crew heard her sing and stopped to listen to hear sweet voice. She did not notice it and sang the whole lullaby, completely losing herself in the music.

After the last notes, she heard an applause. Quickly brought back to the present, she looked confused out of her window. The crew cheered for her and it made her smile, as it had been long since she had played for anyone but herself. She smiled shyly at the crew and bowed her head. The sun had almost reached the surface, she noticed. She started to turn, but noticed a small figure on the deck of the smaller ship beside her.

It was Zuko.

* * *

Zuko had returned to his quarters on his ship. Furious and full of hate, he started to meditate before the Agni Kai. He refused his Uncle or any food. His mind kept racing, like it was refusing to settle down and steady his breathing. Angry and restless, he started to change into the traditional Agni Kai clothing. He bound leather straps around his biceps and switched into dark red pants. His shoulder garment was draped over his shoulder, but he also added a simple shirt over it. He left his quarters after a few hours. He wandered the ship and made it on to the deck. The sun was setting, he thought. Looking at the enormous war ship beside his own, he felt a twinge of hate. Zhao had everything at his disposal, but he refused to give up without a fight.

He saw Zhao's crew preparing the departure, which only fuelled his anger. He turned around to return to his room, when he suddenly heard soft music. He stopped and listened. He remembered the song. Mother used to play it for me, he though absentmindedly. He noticed that the crew heard the music as well, but after a few seconds he heard a sweet voice fill the air.

_Hold on to this lullaby_

_Even when the music's gone._

Elyrie. It had been many years since he last heard her sing. She always had a beautiful voice, but now she sounded like Koel-Nightingale. It brought back so many memories of his mother and her, together playing. He was always content to listen, since playing the Tsungi-horn was not exactly his favourite activity. His mother taught her to play and she was an eager student, he remembered.

The crew had stopped to listen to her as well, he noticed. He looked up at the open window and only listened to her sweet voice. After a few minutes, when she was finished, the crew started to cheer. Zuko saw her appear at the window and seemed to be bashful of the attention. She smiled and bowed her head as a sign of gratitude. He continued to look at her and she met his eyes. The small smile that appeared on her lips made him feel warm inside. She bowed her head to him and closed the shutters.

He continued the look at the closed shutters with a sense of peace coming over him. He knew he could win. She believed in him, he was certain of that.

* * *

Zuko knelt in front of his uncle. He had taken off his shirt and mentally prepared himself. The Agni Kai took place in front of his ship. The harbour had a special plaza for it, in the shape of a rectangle. Red flags with Fire Nation symbols waved on top of the gates, as the setting sun filled the plaza with a orange coloured light. Zuko knew Zhao knelt as well, even though their backs were turned. He had not seen his opponent yet, but he had noticed Elyrie standing on the side. He noticed her hair was down, like she used to have. The wind played with her long curls as she nervously bit her nails. He took a deep breath. _I will not lose another time_ , he thought.

His uncle stood in front of him.

"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." The old man said to him, as final words of advice.

"I refuse to let him win" Zuko said, more to himself than to his uncle. He stood up and shed his shoulder garment to face Zhao.

Zhao turned as well to face his opponent. "This will be over quickly." he said arrogantly.

Elyrie looked from the side-lines, still biting her nails as she saw the two men facing each other. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the gong, signalling to begin the Agni Kai. After a few seconds, Zuko was the first to strike. He attacked quickly, shooting blast of fire from his fists and feet. He had become better, she noticed. He moved more controlled, but he attacked in anger.

Elyrie felt the heat of the fire on her face, as her eyes quickly followed the duel. "Basics, Zuko! Break his root!" She heard Iroh say.

Zhao countered the first attacks with relative ease, before he started to counter-attack. His powerful blows were aimed directly at the prince. Zuko blocked the first two fireballs, but the third followed too quickly. Zuko lost his balance and landed on his back.

Elyrie cringed when she heard him groan in pain. Her heart began to race, as she noticed Zhao taking advantage of his fallen opponent. With great force, he landed just before Zuko. As Zhao prepared to deliver the final blow, she closed her eyes as tears pricked in here eyes.

Her eyes snapped back open when she heard Zuko yell. It was not a scream of pain, but a battle cry. From his laying position, he spun himself on his arms and kicked Zhao's leg from beneath him. Zhao was surprised by this and lost his stance. Zuko was back on his feet and had the upper hand. Elyrie clasped her hands in front of her mouth as she watched the men. Zuko continued to attack Zhao with more force, until Zhao tripped and fell backwards. Zuko moved swiftly to him and hovered above him. His fist was aimed at Zhao's face.

"Do it!" Zhao yelled. Elyrie closed her eyes again, unable to watch such a horrid sight. She heard Zuko fire his blast and then silence.

To her surprise, she heard Zhao's voice say "That's it? Your father raised a coward."

She opened her eyes and saw the burned ground a few inches next to Zhao's face. Zuko had deliberately spared his life. Instead of delivering the final blow, he showed Zhao mercy. Elyrie's heart filled with relief and warmth.

Zuko looked at his defeated opponent. "The next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back." He said calmly. He turned back to his smiling uncle.

"No!" he heard Elyrie's voice. He turned to look at her, to see what caused her distress. She did not look at him, but at Zhao. Before he was able to turn around, he saw Uncle Iroh throw Zhao back. Zhao had tried to attack while his back was turned to him. He felt his anger rise again and lunged to attack Zhao, but was stopped by his uncle.

"No, Prince Zuko, do not taint your victory." He said softly to his nephew, before he turned to Zhao who was still lying on the ground. "So this is how the great commander Zhao acts in defeat," Iroh said with disgust in his voice, "Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honourable than you."

He turned to Elyrie, who had approached them, and said "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."

Zuko looked at the girl in front of him. He noticed her red eyes and trembling lip, but she looked relieved. She had a proud look in her eyes, which he knew was meant for him. The small smile and loving eyes made him feel warm inside, as she bowed to him. He took one last look before he followed his uncle back to the ship.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" he asked. His uncle called him honourable, more honourable than Zhao. After long years of believing he had lost his honour, it made him feel good to hear these words from his uncle.

"Of course," his uncle replied, "I told you ginseng tea was my favourite." Zuko gave a small smile at these words, feeling reassured.

Meanwhile, Elyrie looked at Zhao with disdain as he sat on the floor, defeated and humiliated. This Agni Kai had been unnecessary. There was no honour for him to defeat the banished prince. He could have refused the Agni Kai, yet he accepted in hopes of humiliating Zuko. His defeat had been a blow to his ego, but to attack the prince in the back was shameful. She had already noticed he had trouble controlling his temper, but this was disgraceful.

Zhao did not look at here as he stood up and made his way back to the ship. She sighed as she watched him storm off.

She played with her bracelet as she saw Zuko and Iroh walk away. She wished she could have had a few more moments with them. As she was clicking her bracelet, she felt the note. Without thinking, she started to walk to Zuko and Iroh, with two guard quickly following her.

"Wait" she yelled.

Zuko quickly turned around and looked surprised the see her racing after them. He and Uncle stopped and turned to face her. He already had put on his shirt and frowned at her two guards. Elyrie noticed them as well, as she quickly straightened her back and bowed to the pair.

"I wanted to wish you a good journey", she said, slightly out of breath.

Iroh smiled and playfully gave her a small pinch in her cheek. "I want to thank you, my dear. Despite everything, I had a wonderful time seeing you again."

Elyrie smiled again at the older man. "I am going to miss you. Both of you." She said as she turned to look at Zuko. Zuko smiled at her, but was surprised when she grasped his hand. She hold his hand with both hands as she continued to look him in the eyes. "I wish you all the luck in the world. Maybe we will see each other again soon."

Confused, he looked into her sapphire eyes when she smoothly put a piece of paper in his hand. Her eyes gave a clear message, so he nodded and bowed to her. She let go of his hand, bowed one last time and smiled again. She turned and walked away, the guards guiding her to the ship.

Zuko returned to his quarters immediately to look at the note she put into his hand. When he was alone, he quickly unfolded it and read the two words. 

_Kyoshi Island_.

He sighed, relieved and surprised. Elyrie apparently knew to which place the Avatar was heading. He had a clue, which meant he still had a chance. He mentally thanked her, but it did not seem enough. He smiled inwardly, knowing just what to do.

* * *

When Elyrie returned to her room after taking a long bath, she found a single rose on her windowsill.


	5. The Search

Zhao had ordered his fleet to set course to Kyoshi Island after they had left the harbour, but they found no Avatar. Instead, they found the village on Kyoshi Island badly burned and damaged. However, people were busy repairing the damage.

Elyrie saw the damage and her blood turned cold. She mentally cursed herself for giving Zuko the destination when she saw the damage. When they went ashore, Zhao demanded to speak with the leader of Kyoshi Island. With five other soldiers, they were brought to the square where a statue of Avatar Kyoshi was displayed.

Elyrie looked at the statue with fascination. She knew Avatar Kyoshi had been an intimidating woman, with her unusual height and fighting style. She was born on this small island and it seemed the citizens continued to worship her. The statue, like the rest of the village, had been damaged.

She sighed and returned her gaze at the approaching figures. A man and six women who were dressed like Avatar Kyoshi walked toward them. The leader of the village was an older man, around fifty years old, Elyrie assumed. He wore a blue tunic and had a large grey beard. He did not seem intimidated by the presence of so many Fire Nation soldiers. She was surprised by the amount of women present at the meeting. They were all dressed in the same green costume and had their faces painted to the likeness of Avatar Kyoshi. They had two fans attached to their outfits, which Elyrie presumed were their weapons. She was intrigued.

Elyrie stood at Zhao's side and bowed respectfully at the older man. "Thank you for receiving us".

The man looked at her, confused. He did not expect such a young girl to be with so many Fire Nation soldiers. Moreover, he did not expect such a respectful greeting. He nodded at the girl and glared at the older man standing beside her. The man was around forty years old and wearing a Fire Nation uniform, but he was no ordinary soldier. From his clothes and composure, he assumed this was a Fire Nation captain or commander. The man had dark brown hair, with sideburns and a receding hairline. _The girl must be his daughter,_ he mused. He looked again at the girl to find any family resemblance. He found none: the girl was petite with auburn hair and unusual blue eyes. Not even the Water Tribe siblings who accompanied the Avatar had such a shade of blue. He took a deep breath and looked at the Fire Nation commander in front of him.

Zhao looked at the older man. He was furious. Fire Nation soldiers had visited this island before him, that much was certain. The scorched houses and burned roofs were proof enough.

"We heard the Avatar came to Kyoshi Isand. Where are you hiding him?" he roared.

The older man did not look surprised, as if he expected this question. "The Avatar was on this island, but he left when the Fire Nation attacked our village." He said calmly.

"What kind of soldiers?" Zhao demanded.

"I don't know. Their leader was a young man with a scar." The man had barely finished his sentence when Zhao shot six fireballs into the air. One of the fireballs hit the roof of a nearby house. With a quick flick of her wrist, Elyrie managed to extinguish the flames before they could spread any further. When she was done, she saw one of the women gazing at her. _She must be the leader_ , Elyrie thought. Her headband resembled the golden headband of Avatar Kyoshi, while the other women wore a simpler, green-coloured headband. The girl looked at her with a puzzled expression, as if she failed to understand why Elyrie prevented the roof from burning down. The girl was around her age and had auburn coloured hair as well, but light grey eyes. Elyrie only smiled at her and looked back at Zhao.

Zhao failed to notice her action, since he was beyond himself with anger. He demanded to know in which direction the Avatar headed before storming out of the village. Four soldiers followed him, while the fifth stayed behind to escort Elyrie back to the ship. He had been assigned to her as her personal bodyguard whenever they went ashore. His name was Kun and around thirty years old already a honoured soldier. Elyrie liked him, he was intelligent and had a calming presence.

She nodded at him, before she returned her gaze at the leader of Kyoshi Island.

"Thank you again for receiving us." Elyrie said while she bowed a second time.

She started to walk towards Kun when a girl's voice said 'Wait!'

Elyrie turned around and saw that the auburn-haired woman had approached her. Elyrie looked at her expectantly.

'Thank you for putting out the fire," the girl said.

Elyrie smiled at her. "It was nothing, but I am sorry for the damage that has already been done to your village." The girl looked pained, but nodded as if she appreciated her apology.

"Can I ask you something?" Elyrie said. The girl looked surprised, but nodded. "Why are your dressed like that?". The girl hesitated, uneasy sharing information with a Fire Nation citizen.

After a few seconds, she responded however: "We are the Kyoshi warriors. We practice the fighting style Avatar Kyoshi was known for, which is why we use fans as weapons."

"Interesting," Elyrie said, "Is it only possible for girls to practice these fighting skills?" The auburn haired Kyoshi warrior nodded. "It is possible for girls to start training from a young age and become proficient at the arts of battle."

Elyrie smiled when the girl, who introduced herself as Suki, proceeded to tell her about the history of Kyoshi Island and the Kyoshi warriors. After a few minutes however, she heard Kun softly cleared his throat.

"I do not mean to be rude but we have to return, Miss Elyrie." He said to her. Elyrie nodded over her shoulder and bowed for the last time at the older man and the women. "Goodbye and thank you for telling me about the Kyoshi warriors."

She left with Kun, who said something about keeping up the pace. She smiled, happy to have been able to learn more about this island. But when she remembered the burned houses, she felt guilty. She sighed and silently prayed the world would soon be in balance again. The arrival of the Avatar had given her hope again.

* * *

Weeks had passed since their visit to Kyoshi and there had been no sighting of the Avatar. Zhao had ordered his fleet to return to the border of the Fire Nation. He prepared a blockade to interrogate every passing ship for new information about the Avatar. The sea was calm, but the days dragged on without any change.

Elyrie amused herself with singing, reading and making conversation with the crew. She felt no longer trapped since the sea gave her a sense of freedom. _Ju_ _st like Mama_ , she thought with a smile. She saw little of Zhao, who was busy with planning and anticipating the next possibility of finding the Avatar. She picked up bits and pieces of the councils, but nothing seemed conclusive. It seemed the Avatar was a master in manoeuvring.

The Winter Solstice was approaching, Elyrie knew. She could tell by the position of the sun. Mama used to tell her about the festivals that were celebrated on the Winter Solstice, which she called 'Midwinter'. The memory of her mother made her smile. Elyrie reached for the medallion around her neck and carefully opened the gold locket, which was inscribed with her name. On the left side was a picture of her father. He had a proud face and the classic look of a Fire Nation nobleman with his amber-coloured eyes and raven black hair. He smiled tenderly, which made his eyes sparkle. She missed her father, she missed his smile. She did not resemble him in the slightest, aside from her pale complexion.

But every time she opened the locket, she was reminded of how much she looked like her mother. The picture of her mother, taken shortly before she died, showed a smiling young woman. Elyrie remembered her wavy hair, the colour of chocolate, not auburn like hers. Her skin had been olive coloured, but the heart shaped face, blue eyes and full lips were identical to her own features. It made her proud to resemble her mother, as a way to keep her memory alive.

She was brought out of her memories by a loud call. She quickly put the locket back under her dress and looked out the window to see the entire crew running to the side of the ship. Without second thought, she jumped up and raced towards the deck. Briefly blinded by the sun, she shielded her eyes until they adjusted to the bright light. She saw Zhao standing between massive metal weapons, which were used for throwing fireballs. She walked toward Zhao, while she saw Kun discretely following her. She gave him a friendly nod before she turned to the commander. Before she could ask anything, she spotted a dark figure in the sky above her. She failed to notice a small Fire Nation ship approaching the blockade.

Zhao looked through the telescope. "The Avatar and the banished prince." he said smugly. "This must be my lucky day." He noticed his fiancée standing beside him, shielding her eyes from the sun. He gave her the telescope. "Here, feast your eyes. Tonight I am delivering two prisoners to the Fire Lord."

Elyrie looked at him with faked admiration and said: "It was only a matter of time before you would succeed." He smiled arrogantly as he gave the order to shoot the sky bison down.

Elyrie quickly grabbed the telescope to look. It was truly the Avatar. He was riding on his enormous flying bison. She never thought she would see one in real life. The bison was wearing a saddle on it's back and she spotted two figures sitting on it. Companions of the Avatar, she assumed.

She moved the telescope downwards to look at the ocean and saw Zuko's ship approaching the blockade. He must be mad, she thought. The blockade was placed on Earth Kingdom waters, but once you passed it, you were in Fire Nation territory. Zuko was banished from the Fire Nation and if they captured him, he would surely be put in prison. _If not worse_ , she mentally added. She silently prayed for Uncle Iroh to persuade Zuko to turn around. She prayed for the Avatar as well, as Zhao gave the command to shoot the bison down.

"But there is a Fire navy ship out there, sir –" the captain said, 'One of our own. What if it is hit?"

"So be it." Zhao said coldly, 'It belongs to a traitor. Ignite!' he commanded. The soldiers lit up the stones covered in tar, ready to fire. Elyrie wrinkled her nose, hating the smell of burning tar. She looked nervously at the sky bison and the ship, hoping they were able to avoid the fireballs.

'Launch!'' Zhao roared. At that moment, dozens of fireballs were blasted into the sky. It was like fireworks, but they started to come down. The sky bison swiftly went from left to right, manoeuvring its way through the sky. Once the first fireballs had passed, the sky bison flew higher into the air. _Smart move_ , Elyrie thought, since the fireballs can only reach a certain height.

She was relieved the sky bison wasn't hit but once the fireballs started their descend, her worry grew. Zuko could not as easily evade the attack. She bit her nails as she watched the fireballs fall into the ocean, mere meters beside the small ship. One of the fireballs hit the back of the ship, setting it on fire. Yet, the ship did not stop or even slow down.

'Launch!' she heard Zhao commanding for the second time. Elyrie had been so caught up in the first attack that she did not notice a new set of fireballs being ignited. With even more force, the second set was swung into the air. The sky bison had disappeared into the clouds, but she saw a small figure falling. She looked through the telescope and saw that it was a boy, not much older than she was. He must be one of the companions of the Avatar and swung out of the saddle during the attack. She watched him quickly approach the unforgiving water and prayed he would survive the fall. But just before he hit the water, the sky bison returned and quickly caught him. She sighed of relieve, but looked nervously at the enormous bison who was now flying a few meters above the water.

A third set of fireballs was launched, but the sky bison evaded it yet again. Zhao clenched his jaw and ordered one more fireball to be ignited. The bison approached rapidly, but Zhao waited to give the order. Only when the bison was within range, he gave the order to fire. The fireball went straight towards the bison and Elyrie was sure it would be hit. It was too close to evade. But when she looked through the telescope, she saw a boy in yellow and orange clothing jump from the bison. That must be the Avatar himself, she thought. The Avatar jumped in front of the bison and blasted the fireball to pieces. When he landed on the bison again, he had passed the blockade.

Elyrie looked at them, while they quickly flew away. So the Avatar truly is a young men, she thought impressed. He looked like a true Air Nomad: bald head with an arrow drawn on it. She knew that the arrow tattoo was one of five, each extending to a different limb. The pattern is an emulation of the sky bison's natural markings, she remembered, since they were the original airbenders.

She quickly returned her attention to Zhao, who stared pensively at the Avatar's retreating silhouette.

"Where do you think the Avatar is headed, sir?" the captain asked.

"I'm not sure." Zhao answered as he stroked his sideburn.

Elyrie saw Zuko's ship getting closer and made a decision in a split-second. She put her small hand on Zhao's arm and looked at him. "I bet a certain banished prince will know." She said softly. Zhao looked at her and back at the approaching ship. _Please_ , Elyrie mentally pleaded, _take the bait and let them pass_. Two blockade ships started closing in on Zuko, certainly crushing him if he went ahead. Elyrie looked at the ship, knowing Zuko would not slow down.

"The boarding party is ready to apprehend Prince Zuko, sir" the captain said to the commander. A dozen soldiers behind him were waiting for the order to arrest the banished prince.

Zhao hesitated for only a second before he said "Wait. Cut the engines and let them pass." The captain looked confused, but did as he was told. The ships stopped, avoiding a collision. Elyrie sighed relieved. She looked over the railing and saw Zuko and Iroh standing on the deck. Zuko looked at her and then at Zhao with a hateful glare. Zhao answered it with as much disdain as possible.

When the ship had passed, Zhao looked at his crew and said "And now, the young traitor will lead us to the Avatar."


	6. The Winter Solstice

Zuko's grabbed the railing until his knuckles turned white.

"What is he up to, Uncle? Why didn't commander Zhao arrest me?" he said between gritted teeth. Zhao had let his ship pass the blockade without arresting him. Without even an attempt to stop his ship. He did not trust it in the slightest. Even if Elyrie had pleaded on his behalf, he doubted Zhao would let the opportunity pass to deliver him to his father. Zuko narrowed his eyes, searching for a trail of the Avatar.

As always, Uncle was the voice of reason when he said "Because he wants to follow you. He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after: the Avatar."

Zuko sighed. He did not know what way the Avatar was heading, but Uncle suggested the island where Roku had resided to learn the Avatar State. The island, named Crescent Island since it was shaped like a moon, was a few kilometres away and had a special connection to the Avatar. Fire Sages had chosen this place to build a temple in honour of the Avatar. Moreover, it was built in such a way that the light of the sun on the solstices and equinoxes would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the statue of Avatar Roku. The Winter Solstice was today and the light would hit the statue of Avatar Roku. Uncle must be right, since it could not be a coincidence the Avatar went to hostile territory without a good reason.

Zuko grabbed the railing tighter until the metal began glowing red underneath his palms. Only when he pulled his hands back, he noticed the heat he was producing; the outline of his hands was visible in the deformed metal. Angry and uncertain, his mind raced to find a solution to the problem. He had not come this far only to lose his chance to regain his honour.

"My throne, my country, my honour" he said softly, "I lost it all, and I'll get it back." He clenched his jaw, trying to figure out a way out of this situation.

"We repaired the engines as best as we could, sir" the captain said, pulling him out of his thoughts. Zuko looked at the back of his ship. The engines had been damaged during the attack, but they still were able to move forward. The crew sealed the broken parts, but a thick black smoke covered the back of the ship. It was so thick that it was impossible to see the water behind the ship.

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do." Zuko said determined.

An hour later, everything was prepared for their diversion. Underneath the black cloud, Zuko lowered his smaller boat onto the water.

"Uncle, keep heading North." he instructed. Iroh watched his nephew, mentally shaking his head. He hated to let his nephew do this alone.

"Zhao will follow the smoke trail, while I use it as a cover." Zuko continued while he prepared to set course. Iroh nodded, silently praying that his nephew would succeed. He would not be able to help him if Zhao seized him. He watched the small boat sail away. On the small ship Zuko prepared to head east, in the direction of Crescent Island.

* * *

From miles away, the smoke was visible and coloured the blue sky black. A few kilometres behind Zuko's ship, Zhao followed in a smaller ship. He had left the flag ship at the blockade and boarded a smaller, more agile ship. Elyrie stood beside Zhao when he looked through his telescope. He was tracking the young prince from the trail of smoke he left behind. _His engines truly took a hit_ , Elyrie thought pensively. She wasn't supposed to come along. Zhao had selected a dozen of his strongest soldiers to assist him in the captivity of both the prince and the Avatar. She pleaded him to take her as well, as she would so much wish to see him taking both into his custody.

"It will be a historic moment" she said in her sweetest voice, "Please, would you do me the honour of standing beside you while you accomplish this?" Zhao had complied and she quickly boarded the ship. She had not left the deck, even though hours had passed since they left the blockade. She sighed and looked at the smoke. _Zuko must notice the enormous trail he's leaving behind_ , she mused.

Zhao took the telescope from her and continued to looked at the smaller ship ahead of him. He growled. Elyrie understood why. Zuko kept going North and soon he would reach Earth Kingdom territory. It simply did not make sense. Why would the Avatar take the risk to travel through Fire Nation territory, only to go back to the Earth Kingdom? He must be looking for something in the Fire Nation, but what? She tried to think of anything, but almost everything with a connection to the Avatar had long been in the hands of Fire Lord Ozai. She noticed Zhao clenching his jaw, frustrated at the situation.

But after a few moments, a grin appeared on Zhao's stern face.

"Have you figured it out?" Elyrie asked.

"Prince Zuko wants us to follow the smoke trail, but I wonder why he himself goes east." Zhao said. Elyrie looked again at the ship in front of her, clearly still going North. "I don't understand?" she asked. Zhao ordered the crew to head east before handing her the telescope.

"Look, you see that small ship going east? Prince Zuko must be on that ship to lead us away." Elyrie looked and saw indeed a small boat going further and further away. _Zhao was right_ , she thought.

"You amaze me" she said to Zhao while smiling sweetly. Zhao nodded with an arrogant smirk and went on giving orders to the crew. Elyrie looked through the telescope again and sighed.

"Please Zuko, be careful" she whispered.

* * *

Zuko reached Crescent Island after only a half hour. The island was shaped like a crescent moon with a dock at the foot of the entrance of the temple, located at the outer horn. He avoided the dock and instead went around the island to the most rounded spot. He docked his ship behind the volcanic rocks, like Uncle instructed. After securing his ship, Zuko looked up at the temple. It was a beautiful building with red stones and a green, curved roof. The setting sun coloured the sky orange, which lit up the red stones on the temple. He knew the Fire Sages had built this temple in honour of the Avatar, with a special sanctuary for the last Fireborn Avatar, Roku. Uncle had told him that the sanctuary was located at the highest floor. From where he was standing, the highest floor was at least 30 meters from the ground, he estimated. Fortunately, Uncle knew the Temple very well and informed him of side entrance into the Temple. He could take a door that led to a small staircase which came out at the chamber he was looking for.

Zuko climbed the volcanic rocks towards the temple, but he was relieved to find the slope was not as steep as he expected. He could easily carry the Avatar with him down to his boat without any trouble. Slightly panting, he reached the temple. Just like Uncle had described, a red door was located at the spot. There was no need to knock down the door, since all doors opened with fire-mechanism in this temple. With a small fireblast, he managed to open the door. He stepped inside and after a few moments, his eyes were adjusted to the dark. He lit a small flame in his hand for guidance and started to climb the stairs.

Zuko climbed carefully, yet with a quick pace. He was careful not to make any sound or breath too loudly, since he had no idea what to find at the top of the stairs. After what felt like an eternity, he saw a small orange-coloured light at the top. He quickly put out his own flame and quietly listened. He heard men's voices in the distance. They sounded distraught.

He made his way to the top and heard someone say "How did he get in?"

"I don't know" he heard a second voice answer, "But look at the scorch marks and down there." Silently, Zuko stepped into the light.

He entered large hall with pillars holding up the ceiling. Around the pillars curled decorative dragons of metal. Small lights lit up the room and he saw five older men dressed in red where standing by a massive metal door with a golden Fire emblem on it. The door was at least 3 meters tall and had an complex metal system of gears and firebending mechanisms, which he presumed was to keep the door locked from unwanted visitors. Silently, he observed the men. They were the Fire Sages, he could tell from their uniforms of red robes and ceremonial headcaps. Nobody had noticed him enter the hall, since they were all to occupied with the scorch marks on the door. He looked around and noticed the two Water Tribe siblings standing behind a pillar a few meters away from him. The Avatar must be close, Zuko thought.

"He is inside! Open the doors immediately before he contacts Avatar Roku." he heard the first voice command. But at that moment, Zuko saw at his left a dark figure moving across a pillar. At that moment, the hall lit up at the fireblasts the Sage's aimed at the door. The dark figure lit up as well and Zuko recognized the yellow and orange clothing.

Without second thought, he grabbed the Avatars arms and hold them behind his back. The boy was surprised at this attack and was easily overpowered.

"You are coming with me" Zuko said to him. The Avatar struggled to break free, but was unable to move. The door had opened and a small fight had ensued.

Zuko heard a female voice yell "Aang, now is your chance!" He pushed the Avatar from behind the pillar. While looking at the overpowered Fire Sages and the Water Tribe siblings, he said determined: "The Avatar is coming with me."

He urged the Avatar to move towards the stairs, but was distracted when he heard a small struggle. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the Sages had used his distraction as a way to break free and grab hold of the companions of the Avatar. Zuko was distracted for a brief moment, but long enough to loosen his grip on the Avatar. The boy felt it and quickly reacted. Zuko felt a blast of air and was thrown down the stairs. He fell a few meters down before being able to grab the railing. Landing on his shoulder, he groaned and ran back up the stairs as fast as he could. He was too late, the Avatar had entered the chamber.

* * *

At the same moment the Avatar entered Roku's chamber, commander Zhao and his fiancée had entered the temple. With their soldiers behind them, they made their way to the highest floor of the temple. Elyrie walked beside Zhao, barely able to control herself not to start running. Breathing in deep, she tried to calm herself. She hoped Zuko got away before they arrived at the top. Her heart sank when she heard a familiar voice say "Why did you help the Avatar?"

It was Zuko. His back was turned to her, but she recognized him without effort. In front of him, a Fire Sage kneeled with his hands tied behind his back. He seemed younger than the other four Sages that were standing beside him, with his brown hair and sharp eyes.

The kneeling Fire Sage answered proudly "Because it was once the Sage's duty. It still is our duty." Elyrie's felt compassion for the kneeling man. Apparently, he tried to help to Avatar out of duty. He went against all Fire Nation protocols and expectations to do his ancient duty. Her respect for him grew.

She was startled when she heard Zhao slowly starting to clap beside her. Zuko quickly turned around with a horrified look. He noticed her and looked at her with pained eyes. Elyrie looked away.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance" Zhao said mockingly to the kneeling Fire Sage, "I am certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explained why you betrayed him." The Sage looked defiantly at Zhao, but the other Sage's bowed to the commander in respect.

"And, Prince Zuko" Zhao continued, "It was a noble effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work." Zuko narrowed his eyes and aimed a hateful glare at the commander.

"Two traitors in one day." Zhao said with pride, "The Fire Lord will be pleased." He placed his hand on Elyrie's shoulder and said "Is this what you hoped to see?" he said smugly. She looked at him, unable to speak. Instead, she bowed while looking at the ground. This was the last thing she wanted and she could not hide her true feelings, so she remained quiet.

Zuko looked at Elyrie with a hurt look. Had she wanted to see him captured? He refused to believe it. He tried to look in her eyes, but she kept looking at the ground. He felt two guards grabbing his arms and was snapped out of his thoughts.

He turned towards Zhao and said hatefully "You are too late, Zhao. The Avatar is inside and the doors are sealed."

"No matter." Zhao answered confident, "Sooner or later, he has to come out."

* * *

Elyrie was instructed to wait behind the pillars as Zhao was preparing to seize the Avatar as soon as he came out of the chamber. She walked to the back of the hall and waited impatiently. She saw the disgraced Fire Sage and the Water Tribe boy and girl chained to the pillar on her right. The girl was around her age and looked with a pained look at the door. The girl looked familiar, with her tan skin and chocolate coloured waves. _Just like Mama_ , Elyrie mused.

The Water Tribe girl noticed her staring at her and looked in Elyrie's direction. Elyrie expected to see hatred or anger, but the girl only looked concerned. She must be terrified for the Avatar, Elyire thought. She did not know what to do or say to help the girl, but gave a weak smile. The girl looked surprised and quickly looked away.

Elyrie sighed. On her left side, Zuko was chained in the same manner. Zuko glared at her and she understood why. He thought she had betrayed him and rejoiced in his capture. She looked at him with pleading eyes and slowly shook her head. This was the worst possible outcome, she thought. The Avatar captured, Zuko captured and three innocent people left at the mercy of the Fire Lord and Zhao. She did not know what to do.

Suddenly, a bright light filled the entire hall. Elyrie was blinded for a second, but was perplexed at what she was witnessing. "Avatar Roku!" she heard someone say.

It was true, she saw Avatar Roku clear as day. When the doors had opened, Avatar Roku was standing in the opening. His eyes gleamed with a blue light and he bended the fire aimed at him with effortless ease.

Elyrie was stunned, unable to look away. Without noticing it, she walked towards the Avatar Roku. She heard Zuko call her back, but she was too curious. She moved in front of the pillar, wanting to take a better look.

That was a mistake.

Avatar Roku aimed the fire back at the soldiers with such force that they were knocked of their feet. Elyrie stood too close and flew a few metres back before crashing into a pillar. Coughing loudly, the impact had knocked the air out of her lungs. After she caught her breath, she felt the floor starting to rumble beneath her.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple!" she heard someone yell. While trying to get back up her feet, she saw rocks falling down the ceiling. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain at the left side of her head.

Everything went black.


	7. Wounded Souls

Zuko saw her fall.

He heard her gasping for air.

He saw the stones fall.

* * *

Roku's fire melted the chains and gave him the chance to escape. Zhao and his soldiers were too busy trying to escape themselves to pay attention to him. But it also meant they didn't see Elyrie lying there.

Zuko hesitated for less than a second before he turned around and ran to the place where Elyrie fell down. He moved the fallen rocks and saw her face: pale, covered in dust and with her eyes closed. When he touched her cheek, he felt a wetness coating his hand. He pulled his hand back and saw it was covered in blood. Her blood.

"Elyrie" he said, while turning her head to examine the wound. At the left side of her face, her forehead and temple were covered in blood. Her hair had come loose from the complicated updo and her curls were sticking to the wound. He called her name again, but she did not respond.

The smoke around them started to thicken and Zuko saw the last of Zhao's men run towards the exit.

They had to leave, and quickly. He carefully laid his hand at the back of her head, pulled her up and let her head rest against his shoulder.

"I'll take you out of here." He said softly. He placed his other arm under her legs and lifted her off the cold floor. She did not weigh much and her small frame made it easy for him to carry her. Making sure she was safely secured in his arms, he started to make his way down. Just in time, as Zuko noticed the lava emerging behind him.

Nobody had noticed the secret entrance, for which he was grateful. The smoke grew thicker around him and he felt the rumbling getting stronger. It would not take long for the sleeping volcano under the Temple would erupt, he thought. He quickened his pace and ran down the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him.

When he reached the door at the bottom of the stairs, he noticed it had been closed off again. Zuko did not bother to open the door with firebending, but with a smooth and strong kick, he broke the door. Without bothering to look back, he started to make his way down back to his boat.

Elyrie stirred in his arms, gasping at the fresh air once they were outside. She coughed, as if trying to clean her lungs from the toxic smoke. He felt himself lighten, thankful she was alive an breathing. She coughed a few more times before drifting back in a dazed state.

Zuko ran down the volcanic rocks, while steadying her in his arms. He felt his lungs burn, but was determined to keep going. He reached the boat and ran towards the steering wheel. While still holding Elyrie in his arms, he started the engines of his small boat. With the engines warming up, he carefully laid Elyrie down on the floor and steadied her against the wall. Once she sat upright and he reassured himself she was still breathing, he quickly turned around to start the boat and steered away from the island. He needed to go back to Uncle, he knew what to do.

While navigating toward the open sea, he continued to look over his shoulder to reassure himself she was still in the upright position. He vaguely remembered something about head trauma's and how you needed to steady the patients. He cursed himself for not paying more attention, since he was clueless how to care for her.

The small boat reached the open sea in no time and it was only a few miles to the Earth Kingdom waters, where Uncle was waiting at the nearest harbour. He tied the steering wheel to the board, so it did not stray from its course. When he had secured the wheel, he turned around and knelt beside Elyrie. She stirred a few times, but relaxed once he placed his hand on her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes for a few seconds. With a hazy look in her eyes, she looked around and met his eyes. She smiled weakly, before closing her eyes again.

"No, no!" Zuko said with panic in his voice, "Don't go back to sleep." She opened her eyes again, but it took a lot of effort. Zuko ripped a piece of fabric from his shirt and dipped it in the bucket of water he had taken with him on the way. He placed the wet cloth on her forehand and started to clean the wound as best as he could. The blood had dried up and made her dark hair stuck at her forehead. He kept talking to her to keep her from drifting off again.

"Remember that one time at the beach house? Your mother taught us to swim, but I am still not a big fan of the water." He said, trying to keep her attention.

Elyrie looked at Zuko, still not fully comprehending what was happening at the moment. It felt like her head was split in two and she was nauseous. Zuko continued to talk to her, but she didn't understand what he was talking about. _He has a nice voice_ , she thought absentmindedly. She took a few deep breaths, but her throat felt like it was on fire. Every breath she took was painful and she was thirsty. She turned her head to look at Zuko, but it hurt too much. She closed her eyes again, hoping to lessen the pain.

"Elyrie, open your eyes!" she heard Zuko's deep voice say. Slightly annoyed at his insistence, she opened her eyes again.

"I just wanted to sleep" she rasped, but her voice had the tone of a child.

"I know you do, but please, listen to me." Zuko said in a paternal tone, like he was talking to a child. "I want you to try and stay awake for me, can you do that?" he asked softly. Elyrie coughed again before she was able to answer.

"Yes" she answered, her voice raw.

"Can I have a sip of water?" she whispered after a few minutes, not wanting to strain her voice. Zuko nodded and took the wooden spoon. He placed his hand on the back of her head and carefully lifted the spoon to her mouth. He handled her like she was a small child. She drank the water slowly, but it made her feel even more nauseous. She pulled away, shaking her head and closing her eyes again. The splitting headache had lessened a bit, but it still felt like her ears were ringing. Zuko carefully placed her head back against the wall, as he noticed the shore coming closer. He saw his ship and quickly stood up and untied the wheel. "Elyrie, we are almost at my ship. Can you stand up?" he asked while navigating towards the metal ship.

Elyrie blinked her eyes and tried to lift herself up from the floor. With one hand on the wall, she slowly steadied herself to stop the world from spinning.

"I am sorry" she said in a thin voice. She felt as if she would fall at the any moment.

"It is alright, please!" Zuko said hastily. "Sit back down!" He looked over his shoulder and saw her slump back, as a lifeless doll. "Open your eyes, look at me!" he added, when he noticed her eyes closing again. She lifted her eyelids and he saw the familiar sapphire eyes, looking at him with a confused look.

"Brace yourself" he said, while letting go of the wheel and kneeling back down beside her. He placed his hand behind her head and placed it against his shoulder. He knew that the moment the smaller boat would lift back onto the ship, it would create a shock. He did not want her to fall, so he braced himself for the impact. He heard the metal collide and felt the shock going through his body.

It only took a few seconds, but once he felt that the boat was safely back on the ship, he let go of her and said softly "Wrap your arms around my neck" Elyrie blinked again, but did as he asked. Again, he placed his one arm under her knees and wrapped his other arm around her waist and lifted her from the ground. He carried her to off the boat.

Iroh made his way down to the loading deck to assist his nephew, glad to see he returned. But when the doors opened, he was surprised at the sight. He saw his nephew standing on the deck, carrying a small figure. He saw it was not the Avatar, but he was confused as to who it could be. Zuko's shirt was ripped and he noticed the blood on the head of the small person he was carrying. When he saw the auburn curls fall over Zuko's arm, he understood that it was Elyrie.

"By Agni, what happened?" he asked surprised. Elyrie was pale, the red of the blood a stark contrast with her white skin. Her eyes were open, but barely and her auburn hair was covered in dust.

"The roof of the temple collapsed and she was hit." Zuko answered brief, not stopping to explain the whole situation. He quickly made his was to the chambers. "Uncle, she needs a doctor."

Iroh nodded, thinking quickly. "Place her down on a bed, but keep her awake. Has she been unconscious?" he asked, while trying to keep up with his nephew.

"Yes, for a few minutes after she was hit." Zuko answered, not slowing down his pace.

"Has she vomited?" Iroh asked, breathing heavy once they climbed the second set of stairs.

"No." Zuko answered. He had reached the second floor of the ship, where the bedchambers where. Without thinking, he kicked the door open to his bedchamber and raced to place her on his bed.

Carefully bending his knee, he gently put her down on his bed. Her eyes were closed again, but she was still breathing. He wiped the loose strands of hair from her face. He noticed the wound at the side of her head, which was luckily not as big as he feared it would be.

"Order the men to get a doctor, Zuko." Iroh said behind him, while he entered with clean cloths and warm water. Iroh knelt beside his bed, gently wiping the blood from her face and hair. Zuko frowned, not wanting to leave her alone.

"But Uncle' he began before Iroh interrupted with a loud "NOW!"


	8. Strong Hearts

Zuko paced impatiently in the hallway. Uncle and the physician were in his room, taking care of Elyrie.

Zuko had took it on himself to find a physician as quickly as possible. He had raced to the docks and found an older gentleman, who was the local physician. It had not taking much effort to persuade the older man to come with him, especially with his distinctive Fire Nation armour.

The older man, who was around sixty years old with a grey beard and intelligent green eyes behind horn rimmed glasses, asked what the problem was before he came with Zuko. Zuko had quickly explained the blow to the head and the hazy state the girl was in. The physician had packed bandages and sterilizer and followed Zuko to his ship. It had taken Zuko a lot of effort not to drag the old man with him, but nonetheless they made it back in no time.

Uncle had stayed with Elyrie in the meantime and spoke softly to her, only receiving some form of an answer. She had complained of dizziness and that she felt nauseous, Uncle explained to the physician once he had arrived. The physician opened his bag and carefully began to treat the wound at the side of her head. Zuko himself had felt nauseous when he saw the bowl on the side of the bed, filled with bloodstained cloths. His stomach had turned, filled with worry and panic when he looked at Elyrie's face, which looked even paler on to the burgundy pillows. Uncle had noticed his discomfort and gently instructed him to wait outside. Zuko had protested, but Uncle had practically thrown him out once he started to pace nervously.

So now, Zuko was pacing outside, impatiently waiting for some news. It took ten, fifteen, twenty minutes. He sat down, got back up, went in circles, threw fireballs in the air and sat back down again.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door opened. The physician came out with the bowl filled with bloodstained cloths and pink coloured water. Zuko shuddered. He looked at the physician, demanding an explanation. The physician put down the bowl, straightened his back and took off his horn rimmed glasses.

"The girl will be alright." he said calmly while looking at the young man, "The blow to her head gave her a light concussion, so it will take a few days for her to recover. She needs sleep, but also fresh air and a bit of light exercise." He carefully studied the young Fire Nation man in front of him, waiting for his reaction. When the young men let out a sigh of relief, the old man involuntarily smiled. Even behind his rough appearance, it was clear that this boy cared for the sleeping girl in the next room. _Ah, to be young and in lov_ e, he thought amused. The girl wore an engagement ring, he had noticed when examining her.

"The wound on her head seemed more serious, but I cleaned it and stitched it. It probably will leave a small scar, but the bandage can come off in a few days." He continued, reassuring the young man. "Don't you worry, with enough rest and care, she will be as good as new in no time at all and you'll be able to live a long and happy life together." He added with a smile. Zuko frowned at the last comment, but the old man failed to notice.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go back." He put his glasses back on, grabbed his bag and walked past Zuko with a last nod.

Zuko felt a wave of relief going through his chest. He had been so worried about her, she seemed so vulnerable when he had put her down on his bed. He quickly stepped into his room, relieved but a bit confused as to the physicians words about a long and happy life together. Without giving it a second thought, he rushed to the bed where Elyrie slept. The left side of her face was party covered with bandages, used to cover up the wound. Her full lips trembled slightly, but she was breathing softly. She seemed at ease, finally able to rest after the whole ordeal.

While making sure she was alright, Zuko absentmindedly placed his large hand over her smaller hand, which was laying beside her on the bed. It felt cold. He gently picked up her hand and rubbed her cold hand between his warm, firebending hands. She always had unusually cold hands for a firebender, he thought with a mental smile.

Iroh was still sitting beside the bed, gently placing a blanket over Elyrie and tucking her in. He too was relieved the girl was alright, having recovered from the first shock of seeing her. The physician had examined her and assured him she would live through this. Elyrie herself seemed a bit confused and disoriented at all the commotion, but the physician reassured her everything would come back to her in a couple days. Iroh knew confusion and temporary memory loss were side effects from head trauma, so he was sure she would be her old, cheerful self again in a couple of days.

The physician had ordered Elyrie to stand up, which she was able to do. She was a bit shaken, slighty disoriented, but eventually perfectly able to walk by herself. The physician then asked her to lie down on the bed again and instructed her to take as much rest as she needed. _She must be exhausted from this day_ , Iroh thought. He looked out of the window, where he saw that the moon had taken the place of the setting sun. "You need to sleep, dear" he had gently instructed the blue-eyed girl. Elyrie had nodded vaguely and untied the ribbons of her dust covered dress. Iroh was glad it was just her overcoat that was covered in dust and blood, since they had no clean clothes for her. Her underdress would serve just fine for now, but he made a mental note to go and buy some clothes for her tomorrow in town. When she lay down again, she quickly closed her eyes and fell asleep within moments.

He had just placed a blanket over her when his nephew entered the room. Zuko did not seem to notice him, as he directly knelt beside the sleeping girl. Iroh was amazed at the gentleness his nephew displayed when he carefully warmed Elyrie's hand between his own. _For a young man who claims that nothing is as important as capturing the Avatar, he seems quite distracted_ , he chuckled to himself. But he still did not understand why and how she came with his nephew and what had happened at the Fire Temple with the Avatar. He walked over to his nephew and placed his hand on his arm.

"Now let her sleep, Prince Zuko. She needs her rest" Uncle said while gently tugging at his nephew's arm. Zuko let go of her small hand and gently placed it back on the bed. He carefully stroked her auburn curls before he stood up and made his way to the door. With a last look on the girl, he left the room.

When Iroh had closed the door, he turned to face his nephew. "So, I think you could use a cup of bracing tea." It did not sound like a question, so Zuko simply followed his Uncle to the sitting room. When he sat down, Iroh poured him a cup of tea. Zuko took a sip and sighed. Iroh poured himself a cup of tea as well, sat down and looked at his nephew.

"Now, will you now tell me what happened at the Fire Temple with the Avatar?" he asked before taking another sip. Zuko's eyes snapped back open, surprised. The Fire Temple, Zhao, the Avatar. He had not spared the whole situation a second thought after he saw Elyrie get hurt. He had fled with her, taken her back and only worried for her. He felt his temper flare. _How could I have been so distracted_ , he reprimanded himself with a clenched jaw.

Iroh cocked his eyebrow at his nephew, still waiting for his answer.

"Prince Zuko?" he asked again, "What did happen to Elyrie?". Zuko thought again of the way Zhao and his men had left her behind without a second thought, saving themselves. He placed his clenched fists on the table, snapped his head back and exhaled flames into the air. Iroh observed his nephews reaction with a calm demeanour, taking another sip of his tea. Not saying anything was the best way to deal with his nephew's short temper, he had learned a long time ago.

Zuko took a few deep breaths before he was able to calm himself. He looked at the older man, who had poured himself a new cup of tea. He sighed and began to tell the whole story. Of how Zhao was not fooled by the smoke cover and followed him to the small Crescent Moon Island. How he had even captured the friends of the Avatar, but the Avatar had entered the chamber of Roku before Zuko could take him with him. Shortly after, Zhao had arrived.

"Elyrie had accompanied him," Zuko said with gritted teeth, "When Zhao captured me, he asked Elyrie if she was pleased with the outcome."

Iroh cocked his eyebrow. "Why would he say that?"

"I don't know, Uncle" Zuko said, feeling a slight sting, the same he had felt on the island. She had helped him before, so why would she want to see him captured? _It made no sense,_ Iroh mused. He took another sip of his tea, pondering. The girl was smart, so she must have had a good reason to make Zhao believe she wanted Zuko captured.

"What happened after Zhao arrived?" Iroh asked, still curious.

Zuko continued his story, telling about how he was chained to the pillar, how Avatar Roku appeared and had destroyed the Temple. And how Elyrie was hurt in the process, being knocked out and hit by the falling rocks. How he carried her off the island, with him on the ship and back to here. Iroh had listened quietly, raising his eyebrows at two parts of the story. The part about how Avatar Roku who destroyed the Temple and how his nephew let the Avatar go to save the girl.

"This was not what was supposed to happen today" Zuko said, still clenching his fist. "I don't have the Avatar and don't know where he is going next."

"Prince Zuko, you saved her life today. You do understand that, don't you?" Iroh said, carefully looking at this brooding nephew. Zuko's eyes snapped back to his Uncle and raised his eyebrows. He thought of the auburn haired girl, sleeping only a few doors away, safe and sound on his ship. Her pale skin, her cold hands, her disoriented look. Yes, he had let the Avatar go, but only now did he think about his losses. Before his Uncle had asked, only Elyrie had occupied his thoughts. He shook his head and suddenly felt tired.

"I am going to bed" he said while standing up. Iroh cleared his throat at his nephews words while cocking his eyebrow. Zuko then remembered Elyrie slept in his room. He sighed.

"Don't worry, Prince Zuko. You can sleep in my quarters. I'll have a spare room prepared for myself" the older man said with a kind voice. Zuko only nodded at his grey-haired uncle, before he left without saying another word.

Iroh watched his nephew leave, smiling at himself. The young man had chosen to save an old friend instead of capturing the Avatar. _This is a good thing_ , he thought. He left the sitting room, humming a little love song.

* * *

At that moment, miles away, the dark night was lit up by a blast of flames.

"Where is she?!" a dark voice roared.


	9. Returning Strength

At the break of dawn, the Dragon of the West woke up, with the first rays of sunshine as was the way with firebenders. Looking around the bedroom, he remembered the events of the previous evening and quickly got up to eat some breakfast. _A man cannot work on an empty stomach_ , he chuckled to himself.

After a quick breakfast, which consisted of 3 omelettes, a bowl of miso soup and a full pot of white jade tea, Iroh went into town to fetch some clothes for the girl. He had checked on her this morning and she seemed better. Her blue eyes looked brighter, although she was still tired and almost fell immediately back asleep. Iroh had folded her dirty dress and decided to go shopping for her as fast as possible. He knew better than to ask his nephew to accompany him. He could go a little overboard when it came to shopping, and based on their earlier experiences, his nephew seemed not to enjoy it.

So he went out alone and bought her two dresses, but also pants and tunics. He remembered she loved to wear those as a child and they were much more practical on the ship than silky dresses. He had to stop himself from buying any more trinkets, since the market was full of nice little shops. However, he did stop to buy a few trinkets, like sweet soaps, flowers and a comb. The girl needed to take care of herself and a little colour in the chambers never hurt anyone, he justified his shopping spree. With two full baskets, he returned to the ship. He went straight to her room and when he opened the door, he was a little surprised. He saw the back of his nephew turned to him, again on her bedside. Elyrie slept, but Zuko continued to caress her hand. Iroh smiled and closed the door without making a sound. He placed the baskets on the floor by the door and walked away, humming.

 _It is time for an early lunch anyway_ , he thought to himself.

* * *

Zuko opened his golden eyes and looked around the room. He felt slightly confused, as they were not his sleeping quarters. He blinked a few times and remembered yesterday. He sat upright and quickly got out of his uncle's bed. It was long past sunrise. He groaned. It was not like him to sleep in, especially since he had trouble sleeping anyway. He washed himself quickly, before making his way to his own room.

He knocked on the door, quietly opening it. He saw her sleeping, her eyelids fluttering. He knelt again by her bedside with a small smile. She shivered, unusual for a firebender. He went to his closet and took out an extra blanket, the one he had used on the icy South Pole. He placed it over her and she wrapped herself in the blankets and stirred. Zuko froze in his movement, not wanting to startle her. She opened her sapphire coloured eyes and blinked a couple times. When the blue eyes met the golden eyes, she smiled. It was not her usual bright smile, it was a very weak smile.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly while he sat down next to the bed.

"I'm not sure. Where am I? What happened?" she said while trying to push herself up on her elbows.

Zuko gently, but firmly pushed her down again. "Don't get up. You were hurt" he said in a fatherly voice.

Elyrie sank back down in the pillows. She raised her hand to her head and felt the bandages that covered her head.

"Hurt?" she repeated with a puzzled look. She felt alright, albeit a bit dizzy.

"Do you remember anything?" Zuko asked. She took a moment, trying to recollect her thoughts. It came back, slowly. She remembered the Fire Temple, the Sages and a lot of heat.

"Pieces," she answered after a few moments, "Like a dream." She frowned and added "Did I dream Avatar Roku?" she asked a bit uncertain.

Zuko shook his head, "No, that was real. He appeared at the Temple."

She raised her eyebrows and closed her eyes again. She remembered now she was knocked against a wall of some sorts by Avatar Roku's fire. "I was hurt? I remember I falling down, but that is the last thing I remember." She said. Zuko nodded, glad she did not suffer from severe memory loss.

"Why am I here? I came to the Fire Temple with Zhao" she continued while placing her hands on her face, as if to clear the foggy thoughts.

Zuko took a deep breath. "I took you out of the Temple. You were unconscious when the Temple started to come down on itself. I took you back to my ship, where Uncle and I took care of you." He stumbled, trying to explain his rash decision. What would she think of him? _It sounded like I kidnapped her or something_ , he mentally groaned. It dawned on him that she, still, was Zhao's fiancée. He had taken a high ranking Commanders fiancée with him.

"You took me out of there?" she repeated, frowning again. She remembered his baritone voice, talking to her as if in a dream. She must have been unconscious for some time, since she only remembered his voice after falling down. His voice, trying to talk to her and keeping her awake. The thick fog which seemed to cloud her thoughts slowly got thinner once she tried to fit all the pieces together. She remembered coming to the Fire Temple with Zhao, who prepared to take the Avatar and Zuko in custody. The Avatar had escaped with help from Avatar Roku. Roku had defended the Avatar, during which she had been knocked out. Zuko must have carried her away, while Zhao probably saved himself. She bit her lip until she could taste blood, mentally damning the cowardly Commander.

She pinched her nose bridge and closed her eyes. She felt a headache coming up and the fog in her head thickened again. Zuko noticed her discomfort and placed his heated hand gently on her forehead. She smiled with her eyes closed.

"Try to sleep some more, the physician said you will feel better after that." Zuko instructed gently while wiping a strand of hair from her forehead. She nodded without opening her eyes, but grabbed the hand he had placed on her forehead. She brought his hand to her lips and lightly kissed his knuckles.

"Thank you" she said in a sleepy voice. She turned her head to the side and fell asleep.

Zuko continued to sit by her side for a few more minutes. She still hold on onto his hand after she fell back asleep. With his other hand he caressed her small hand. She had soft, delicate hands with long nails, like all noblewomen had. Her long fingers relaxed and when her breathing had become steady, he carefully released himself from her grip.

* * *

Elyrie stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed and new. The sun had begun to set, so it was almost time for dinner. Uncle had brought her some new clothes and soaps. She was thankful for that, since she felt incredibly dirty after the whole ordeal. Her hair was still rough, covered in gravel and dust. It had taken a good effort to clean it, but she was glad that Zuko was keen on his personal hygiene, otherwise she would have taken three more baths just to feel clean.

She put on a towel around her body and stepped back into the bedroom. A tunic and a pair of pants were laid out on the bed. Elyrie picked up the tunic, which was a dark burgundy red. It seemed a bit too large, but she was glad for the clean clothes. Under the tunic lay a small, white piece of fabric. _Underwrappings_ , she thought. She suppressed a smile, since this could only be Uncle's doing. She doubt Zuko was worldly enough to think of such a detail. She picked up the new comb, which was made of wood with details of flowers etched into it. She gently combed her wet hair, trying to take the tangles out of it. It took a lot of time and patience, but finally it was free of knots and tangles.

After that, she took off the towel and carefully wrapped herself in the undergarments and put on the tunic and pants. They were indeed a bit too large, especially around her waist. It must have been a mans model, which seemed not to be tailored around the waist. She picked up her old dust-covered silk dress and ripped off one of the sleeves. The sleeve was covered in blood and dust, but it was just what she needed.

She filled the sink with water and washed the sleeve quickly. After a few minutes of scrubbing the fabric with soap, the stains were hardly noticeable. She dried the sleeve using her firebending and tied it around her waist. She walked to the large mirror to inspect her appearance. _It would do just fine_ , she thought. It was nice to wear pants again instead of long flowy dresses, which were highly impractical.

She took a closer look at her face. She was still pale, but her normal colour had mostly returned. She carefully touched the new cloth on her left temple, which was covering the wound. It was still healing, but she hardly felt it anymore. The physician stitched it neatly, but she was told it would leave a small scar. She sighed, glad she survived the whole ordeal with only a minor injury. _It could have been so much worse if Zuko had not taken me out in time_ , Elyrie pondered.

She pushed her hair aside, which formed ringlets around her face. Normally, Jin would carefully brush and dry her hair. It had to be perfect to represent her higher status. But now, nobody could help her. She could try to dry it with her firebending, with it seemed an unnecessary risk. _My hair is less forgiving than a sleeve_ , she thought with a grin. Since her hair was almost dry anyway, she left the curls hanging down her back. She tossed her hair from side to side, combing her fingers through it. She liked the look of it, with her hair hanging loose and looking bouncy. She smiled at her reflection before she walked to the door to put on her slippers. After all this, she was really hungry.

"You look a lot better, my dear" Iroh said cheerfully when Elyrie entered the sitting room, "You have a blush on your cheeks."

Elyrie smiled at the older man before she took her place at the table. Sitting down was far easier in pants, she immediately noticed.

"Thank you again for the clothes, Uncle" she said gratefully. The grey-haired man chuckled at her, before adding "I thought you would appreciate the pants". She chuckled and nodded enthusiastically.

Zuko had said nothing, only looked up when she entered. She did indeed look a lot better, her cheeks returned to the usual pink colour. Her hair was down, hanging down in ringlets on her back. She suddenly looked younger than her 21 years, with her hair down and in a tunic.

Dinner was served and Elyrie needed all her self-control not to devour everything within a couple of seconds. It was simple but delicious: fish with rice and vegetables. She ate until she was sure she would burst if she took another bite. She smiled apologetically at the two men.

Iroh chuckled and poured her tea after the meal had ended. He took a breath and asked "Elyrie, we need to contact Zhao about your whereabouts." She sighed, knowing he was right. "How can we contact him?" Iroh continued.

Elyrie thought for a second, playing with a loose curl. "He mentioned something about a Fire Nation Fortress in the Earth Kingdom as our next stop." she answered, while tangling her curl between her fingers. "A fortress where they trained elite archers" she added, remembering the detail. Iroh stroked his beard.

"The Yuyan archers?" he asked. She nodded. "They reside at the Pohuai Stronhold" Iroh said pensively, "It is located in the Earth Kingdom".

"How far is it from here?" Elyrie asked, hoping it would take at least a day or two. She was not ready to face Zhao again, not yet.

"A few days I think, if the tide allows us." The older man answered. Elyrie let out a relieved sigh, before halting herself.

Zuko had noticed it and asked: "What is the matter?" Elyrie met his gaze and bit her lip. She was hesitant to answer, being used to hold her thoughts about Zhao to herself. However, she knew she could trust Iroh and Zuko, they would never betray her trust. "Let's just say that I am not that eager to return to Zhao." She said with a hint of disgust in her voice.

"How did you become engaged to him anyway?" Zuko asked, wanting to know the whole story. She avoided his look, but sighed and began to tell her story.

"He came to my aunt and uncle's for dinner one evening. I lived with them after my father died. I am older than my other nieces, so I was to attend as well. He barely spoke to me, only boasting of his accomplishments and great plans for the future. So I did what every other table lady would do; I smiled and nodded." Elyrie said in a neutral tone. Zuko raised his eyebrows, wondering which direction she would go with this story.

"Within a week, Zhao returned to the house and wished to speak to my uncle. He had been looking for a wife and apparently, I made the cut." She continued. "Uncle did not give his consent right away, but I knew it was expected of me. Uncle and aunt did discuss it with me and did not pressure me in any way, but I was 21 years old and been fighting marriage proposals for over 3 years by then. With my father, it was easier since I knew I would never be a burden. But when it is someone else, it is harder. So I accepted and within a month I was situated at that harbour we met."

Zuko felt pity for her, how lonely she must have felt. He had Uncle by his side at all times, but she had to do it on her own. So defenceless against the social norms and rules. "Doe he treat you well?" he carefully asked. If Zhao laid as much as a hand on her, he would burn him to a crisp.

"He does," Elyrie answered, "but I have certain expectations to meet if I want to keep it that way." Iroh raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean, dear?"

Elyrie sighed. "Zhao is a proud, vain man. From the first meeting, it was very clear that he wanted fame and glory." Iroh nodded, he was familiar with Zhao's ruthless ambition and hunger for glory. "I play the part of a dutiful fiancée who worships the floor he walks on. Only that way, I can arrange some profits for myself."

Zuko looked in her blue eyes, which looked sad. "Like?" he asked, wanting her to continue.

"I was not supposed to come to the Fire Temple, because he only wanted his best soldiers and firebenders with him to capture you and the Avatar. As a woman, I was expected to stay behind. " she stated. "But with pleading and asking to see him in his glorious moment, he relented. That is why he asked if I had wished to see this." She said, looking at Zuko. "I never intended for you to be captured, but I came along trying to prevent the worst." Zuko nodded, knowing she spoke the truth.

"He truly does not know anything about me. I doubt he even knows I am a firebender, despite regular displays. He kept going on about a strong bloodline and that he hopes his sons would be benders, like him." Zuko raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Truth be told, he despised Zhao but he never thought the Commander would be so careless towards others.

"Why do you keep going on with this arrangement? You will be unhappy if you stay there." He exclaimed. Iroh raised his eyebrows at his nephew's fervent reaction. Zuko rarely showed interest in other people's private live.

"But what other choice do I have? I have no money of my own, no way of making money on my own and no prospects if I break this engagement off." She replied harshly. "I am to be his wife and as such, I will have more autonomy. Besides, it had brought me good things as well. I've seen you again." She continued, but her eyes were softer and she gave him a smile. "And I could help you, maybe I could help others as well." She twisted a ringlet around her finger, softly humming.

Zuko looked at the auburn-haired girl, knowing she was right. But he could not help but feel unhappy about her decision, since she was worth so much more. She deserved a man who saw how special she was, how intelligent, how capable of holding her own in the most difficult situations. Zhao only saw her beauty, not her iron will underneath. He reached over the table and grasped her small hand. Iroh s eyebrows shot up even higher at this gesture, since he never saw Zuko display any affection in front of others. He suppressed a knowing smile as he stroked his beard. This was something he needed his nephew to figure out on his own.

Elyrie looked surprised as well, but placed her other hand over Zuko's large hand. She smiled reassuring at him. "I never intended this life, but it the reality that is given to me. I am in no position to change it, but I can work with it."

Iroh looked at the young girl, who seemed mature beyond her years at that moment. _She is like a Fire Rose_ , he thought to himself, _Beautiful and sweet but hiding thorns beneath. Like a rose, she bends in which way the wind blows but with strong roots in the ground. She accepts the reality given to her and works with it._

 _If only there was something we could do for her_ , Iroh mused.


	10. Peaceful Evenings

After they finished tea, Iroh slowly stood up.

"If you'll excuse me, there is a game of Pai Sho waiting for me in the steering cabin." He bowed his head before leaving the pair alone, not totally unintentionally.

Elyrie started twisting her finger, a tic she had since she was small. Whenever she was nervous or thinking deeply, she twisted her little finger on her right hand with her thumb and index finger from her left hand. She thought about their conversation, about her engagement with Zhao and what her life would be like once she was married to him.

Zuko gazed at her when he noticed her engagement ring was missing from her left hand.

"Where is your ring?" he asked. She looked at her bare left hand, rubbing the empty spot with her thumb.

"I took it off. It lies on the nightstand in your room" she answered. Her eyes lit up and she pulled his arm "Which reminds me, you need your room back." she added.

She was thankful for his hospitality, but she felt a little uncomfortable by all the room switching due to her. Uncle slept in a spare room and Zuko slept in his Uncle's room, but she would gladly take a spare room instead of overstaying her welcome in Zuko's room. She knew how much he valued his privacy.

"Hm?" Zuko looked up with a puzzled look in his golden eyes.

"I mean, I slept in your room these past days. I'm sure you'd like your own bed back." She elaborated.

"But I don't mind having you in my bed." Zuko answered. Elyrie cocked one arched eyebrow and smiled amused.

Zuko realized what he just had said. "I mean… I don't mind having you in my room, eh, sleeping in my room for the time being." he stammered, falling over his words.

"I see" Elyrie said with pouted lips, her eyes glittering with mischief.

"I would be more comfortable knowing I don't push in" she said with a smile playing around her lips. "Even if you enjoy me in your bed" she added with a teasing tone. Zuko shot her an annoyed look. Zuko could be so awkward at times and she loved teasing him about it. She playfully slapped his shoulder.

"Come on! Let's arrange it." She said while she stood up.

"I really don't mind" he tried again. She cocked her head to the side in response and said "We both know I am the stubborn one, so will you help me now or in an hour?" Zuko rolled his eyes at her and rose from his seat.

"Fine." He said in a defeated voice. She let out a soft chuckle and went ahead, her curls dancing behind her. Zuko mentally shook his head at her happy demeanour.

* * *

It took them less than thirty minutes to change rooms back.

"Thanks for your help." Elyrie said with a smile. Zuko nodded, while he watched her fluffing his pillows. She had changed the bedsheets as well.

"You know I have people to clean my room, right?" he asked her while watching her arrange the pillows in a way he never bothered.

"Even so, I am perfectly capable of changing the sheets. Especially since I am the one who ruined the previous sheets" she answered. The bedsheets she had slept in were covered with bloodstains and dust because of her, which made her feel a bit guilty.

When she was done with the pillows, her eyes fell on the dual broadswords on the wall. She walked towards it, looking at them. "Do you still use them?" she asked.

"I do." Zuko answered, not without a sense of pride. It was true. Even though he mainly practiced his firebending, he always found time to practice with his swords.

"I used to be so jealous of you for being trained by the best masters" she remembered. "No, scratch that: I still am jealous." She corrected herself. She turned around with a fond smile, but saw that he was not looking at her. He looked at the Fire Nation flag on his wall and his eyes turned dark.

"At the moment, there is not much to be jealous of" Zuko said in a grim tone.

She walked over to him and placed her small hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry" she said compassionately. His golden eyes met her blue ones and he quickly looked away. He could not bare it if she looked at him with those compassionate doe eyes. He shrugged and she retracted her hand, seeing the stoic mask fall back in place. She mentally shook her head, wondering how much he had bottled up all those years. She knew he never liked to talk about everything that happened, so she did not push the subject. If he wanted to talk about it, he would do it when he wanted to.

She sighed and picked up her engagement ring from the nightstand. She did not put in on her finger, but let it roll between her fingers instead. Zuko noticed her playing with her ring.

"Can I see it?" he asked carefully. She stopped playing with it and gave it to him.

Zuko squinted his eyes to take a closer look at it. It was a ring like most noblewomen received upon their engagement, with gold and red embedded in it. Her ring had a red diamond in the middle, shaped in the form of the Fire Nation symbol. _It is quite large and a tad overdone_ , Zuko thought. _Elyrie was right_ , he mused. _Zhao wanted this ring around her finger to show her off._

Zuko gave her the ring back and she continued playing with it. Elyrie let again the cold metal roll between her fingers. _As_ c _old as the man attached to it_ , she grimly thought. She sighed, but was determined she would not ruin the evening with depressing thoughts. She started to hum a little song, immediately feeling more cheerful

Zuko looked up and saw a smile on her lips. _She never is down for long_ , he thought to himself. He admired that in her, since he himself was the brooding type. He did not like it, but could not help himself either sometimes. The humming turned in soft singing, while Elyrie went back to cleaning up the room. She sang without noticing, as she always did when completing a chore. Her sweet voice filled the room.

_Sing sweet nightingale_

_Sing sweet nightingale_

_High above me_

Zuko gazed at her, listening to her voice. She repeated the small verse a few times and vocalised the melody. _She truly has the most beautiful singing voice_ , he thought. When he had heard her sing on Zhao's ship, he already had been enchanted by it. But now, seeing her sing the words and her sapphire eyes lightening at every tone, she sounded even more beautiful. _If only we had a piano on board_ , he thought. She would love to play and sing for him, or at least he hoped so.

She caught him gazing at her. He smiled. She stopped singing.

"What is it?" she asked with a puzzled look.

Zuko quickly caught himself and shrugged. "Nothing, it is just that you never can do things quietly" he said in a teasing tone.

"Ah, making jokes now I see" she responded with an amused look and elbowed him swiftly in his ribs.

Zuko groaned. "Stop it, Lily!" he said and gave her a soft push. She froze in her movement and looked at him. It had been long time since anyone called her Lily.

Zuko saw her freeze, wondering what he had said. "What is wrong?" he asked.

Elyrie's hand went up to the locket around her neck. "Nothing," she answered while her fingers caressed the locket, "It just has been a while since someone called me Lily." She smiled at the memory of her pet name. When she was little, she could not pronounce her own name, especially the 'r' sound. She called herself Lily and her parents continued to call her by that name.

Zuko mistook her silence for sadness and gave her an apologizing look. "I'm sorry." He said.

"No, I don't mind" she said with a smile, before adding "Would you like me to call you 'Zuzu'?" with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Never." he groaned. She laughed and gave him a wink.

"I think we are done." she said while folding the last of Zuko's clothes and putting them in a drawer. She looked out of the window, where the stars began to climb. The ocean reflected the thousands lights, like a beautiful mirror.

"I am allowed to go on deck?" she asked Zuko. Zuko frowned at her, "Why should you not be allowed?" he asked in return.

She shrugged. "I don't know, Zhao does not allow me out after dark" she answered in a mocking tone. Zuko clenched his jaw at that comment, but nodded to her. "Would you like to go with me? Or do you want to sleep?" she asked him.

He thought about it for only a moment, before he motioned her to lead the way. She walked toward the door, before halting herself and asked "Do you maybe have a shawl or something? I am a bit cold."

Zuko raised his eyebrows at her. "You are a firebender. How can you be cold?" he asked.

"I don't know, I just always am." She retorted. Zuko walked towards the drawer and picked up a small, red piece of fabric. He had used it as a table cloth once, but it would function as a shawl.

"Would this suffice?" he asked and tossed it to her.

She smoothly caught it and wrapped herself in the improvised shawl. "Thanks." she added with a warm smile.

* * *

The deck was empty, but the view was beautiful. The ocean stretched out beyond the horizon and the almost full moon bathed them in a bright light. When Elyrie stepped onto the deck, she inhaled the fresh sea air. Her lungs filled with the crisp air, making her feel refreshed. This was the first time she went outside after the whole ordeal with the Temple. She again was reminded of Zuko's heroic action.

"Thank you again for getting me out of the Temple." she said while absentmindedly touching the cloth on her left temple. "I know you had to let the Avatar go because of that," she added while twisting her little finger. She had felt guilty for being the reason he had to flee the Temple.

Zuko looked at her and his eyes fell on the small bandage on the side of her head. He shook his head and said reassuringly "Don't worry about it. I am glad you are okay."

She smiled at him and he added "Besides, I most likely would have needed to flee anyway." Elyrie laughed, understanding that even Zuko would not dare to take on Avatar Roku.

She started to hum again. The stars reminded her of the lullaby she had learned when she was younger. She walked towards the railing and let her hands rest on metal, leaning forward. The shawl hang loose around her shoulders. Zuko followed her and rested his hands next to hers on the railing. He recognized the melody and gave her a small nudge.

"Can you sing it?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Really? Now you want to hear my noise?" she taunted with twinkling eyes. Secretly, she was glad he asked it of her. She loved to sing, always had. She took a deep breath and continued the song.

_Oh, won't you come with me?_

_Where the moon is made of gold_

_And in the morning sun, we'll be sailing_

Her voice echoed over the water, filling the night air with music. Zuko closed his eyes and let her voice clear his troubled thoughts

_Oh, won't you come with me?_

_Where the ocean meets the sky_

_And as the waves roll by,_

_We'll sing the song of the sea._

She leaned her head on his shoulder as she sang the last notes. Neither of them moved, standing in comfortable silence for a long time. It felt like no time had passed between us, she thought. A sudden cold wind made her shiver and she pulled her shawl closer. She lifted her head from his shoulder.

"I am going to bed." She said with a bright smile. "Goodnight". Zuko smiled at her, wishing her a good night.

When she had left, he continued to gaze over the ocean. Her sweet voice continued to play through his mind. After a few minutes, he too made his way to his quarters.

Once he arrived in his room, Zuko quickly put down his head on his clean pillows. When he turned to his side, he smelled her rosy scent on the fabric. His large bed suddenly seemed to small. He took a few breaths to calm his racing heart before falling asleep, still hearing her voice in his mind. He sank into a peaceful sleep, like he had not known in months.


	11. The Storm

Elyrie woke up past sunrise. She blinked her blue eyes a few times to shake off the sleep and raised herself up. Looking around the spare room, she swung her legs on the side of the bed and stretched her body. Walking over to the small bathroom, she inspected herself in the mirror. The bandage still covered her temple and she carefully touched the wound. She felt nothing, so she slowly pulled the cloth away. She looked again in the mirror and saw the thin, red line next to her hairline. It was not very noticeable. The small scar roughly stretched from her eye to her eyebrow, barely more than 5 centimetres

She washed herself and combed her curls. She grabbed a small pin and pinned the front locks of her hair back. _It is probably better if I keep my hair out of my face while it continues to heal_ , she mused. She let the remainder of her curls fall down her back, enjoying the weight as she moved her head. She chuckled and softly hummed to herself as she got dressed in a bright red tunic and pants. She made her way to the kitchen, since she slept past breakfast. She noticed the ship had begun to move, so they probably left a few hours ago at dawn.

She timidly entered the kitchen and greeted the cook. He was a middle aged man with kind brown eyes, who nodded friendly to her when she introduced herself.

"General Iroh had asked me to save you some breakfast" he said to her while handing her a plate with fried eggs. She thanked him when she took the plate from him. The eggs were delicious and she ate with a healthy appetite.

After thanking the cook for the meal, whose name was Shin she learned, she made her way onto the deck. She looked around when she stepped outside and saw they were already on the open sea. It was a beautiful morning and she greeted Uncle, who was standing by the railing. He nodded kindly to her, but his look was concerned. She followed his gaze and saw a flock of geese flying over in opposite direction.

Iroh inhaled deeply. "There is a storm coming" he then said, "A big one". Elyrie frowned at him and looked at the bright morning sky.

Zuko seemed to think the same thing, when she heard his baritone voice behind her.

"You are out of your mind, Uncle" he said, "The weather is perfect. There's not a cloud in sight." He nodded to Elyrie before continuing to look through his telescope.

"A storm is approaching from the north" Iroh continued, paying no attention to his nephews protests. "I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is traveling northward, so we will do the same." Zuko retorted. In the early morning hours they had seen the sky bison pass and head towards the north, so Zuko quickly ordered to change their course to pursue the Avatar. He had lost him before and was not planning to lose his track again.

"Prince Zuko," his Uncle said in a reprimanding tone, "Consider the safety of the crew."

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter." Zuko sneered. His eyes met the captain, who cocked his eyebrow at the young man. Zuko was not fazed by the disapproving look and approached the older man. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety" he continued while glaring at the captain.

Elyrie arched her eyebrow, not sure if she was hearing him correctly. He sounded so harsh, so cold. She shook her head as Zuko stormed passed her without a glance. "He doesn't mean that." She heard Uncle say to the captain, "He's just all worked up."

The captain seemed not convinced. Elyrie turned to the captain and approached him with a tentative smile. "I don't believe we've been introduced, sir" she said politely as she made a quick bow, "I am Elyrie".

The captain's eyes softened at the respectful greeting of the young girl. He nodded his head and gave her a kind smile.

"I know who you are," he said, "You had us worried for a moment when you came to us." Elyrie smiled brightly, thankful for the captain's concern.

Iroh's eyes fell on her scar and smiled at her. "I see you look much better" She carefully caressed the scar on her left temple and nodded to the older men. "I am Lieutenant Jee." The captain continued.

Elyrie smiled "Please to meet you Lieutenant". The lieutenant was a middle aged man with grey hair and sideburns, but friendly brown eyes. He excused himself to arrange some precautions if a storm was indeed to approach. He had served under general Iroh in the army and he never doubted the older general's instinct.

After Jee had left, Elyrie turned to Uncle.

"Uncle, if you are not otherwise occupied, I had a question" Elyrie carefully said. The kind older man nodded to her. "What is it I can help you with, dear?" he asked. "I was wondering" she began while she started to play with her little finger "if you would want instruct me on some basic firebending moves."

"I would be honoured" he said with a smile. "Now, let start with the basics: breathing."

* * *

After a few hours of instruction and practising basic forms, Elyrie's eyes fell on the dark clouds approaching from the north.

"You were right, Uncle." she said in a soft voice. Lieutenant Jee and the other crew members also made their way onto the deck and looked at the threatening clouds. Zuko was the last to arrive, his eyes dark and his face impassive.

The captain crossed his arms and said to him "Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all."

"Lucky guess" Iroh intervened with a smile, while his nephew turned his back to the Lieutenant.

Zuko's temper flared at the condescending words of the captain

"Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect, or I will teach it to you." he said while he stepped towards Jee in a threatening manner. Elyrie's eyes widened at this. She had never heard Zuko speak so harshly to anyone. Maybe to Zhao earlier, but that was somewhat justified. The captain had done nothing wrong.

Zuko turned away from the captain, but Jee responded in a cold tone "What do you know about respect?"

Elyrie saw Iroh motioning to Jee to stop his accusation, but Jee failed to notice. His glare was aimed at the young man's back as he continued. "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew to your esteemed uncle, shows you know nothing about respect."

Elyrie bit her lip at these accusations. _This had been bottling up for some time_ , she realised when she heard the lieutenants harsh words. It was hard to believe the captain was talking about the same person who had risked his own life to save hers. Her eyes darted back to Zuko's back, which revealed nothing. She saw Uncle placing his hand on his forehead as Jee sneered at Zuko.

However, Jee was not finished. "You don't care about anyone but yourself. Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?" he finished with an angry glare.

Zuko turned around, his face still impassive. His stance on the other hand revealed his sentiments all too well. He took the Agni Kai-stance, silently challenging the lieutenant to a fire duel. Jee did not move a muscle when he too got into his fighting stance.

"Easy now" Iroh tried to calm the situation. The two men paid no attention to him as they crossed their underarms without breaking eyecontact. Zuko's fingertips started to smoke, before Iroh intervened

"Enough!" he said while placing himself between the two men. "We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long." He placed his hands into his sleeves as he continued "I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."

Jee looked at the older General and relented.

Zuko, on the other hand, turned his back to his Uncle. "I don't need your help keeping order on my ship" he coldly stated.

Iroh reached out and placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder, wanting to comfort him. He pulled away from his Uncle's touch and turned away when he met Elyrie's sapphire eyes, which looked confused. He quickly looked away from her gaze and made his way back inside.

Elyrie had observed the confrontation in silence, her mind racing and trying to connect the dots. She realized that the Zuko who rescued her and the Zuko who hunted the Avatar seemed two vastly different persons. He may have helped her, but it was clear she was the exception. Iroh continued to gaze at the upcoming storm, his hands placed in his sleeves again. Elyrie quietly moved to his side and grasped his arm.

"Is this how it normally goes?" she asked quietly while looking at the dark clouds.

Iroh sighed. "I am afraid so," he said in a serious voice, "Zuko is focused on finding and capturing the Avatar, more so than ever before." He sadly shook his head. He had witnessed his nephew's softer side the past days in his interactions with Elyrie, but that seemed to have vanished at the first sight of the Avatar.

"Come inside and have dinner with me" Elyrie kindly asked the older man, trying to distract him. He looked up and smiled at her hopeful eyes. He offered her his arm and she gladly took it.

* * *

Zuko had not joined them for dinner. He had locked himself in his room and refused anyone. Elyrie had brought dinner to his room and softly knocked. There came no response so she placed the small bowl of noodles at the door, not wanting to push in.

After dinner, Uncle and she walked back to sitting room. They heard muffled voices coming from below deck in the boiler room. Uncle motioned for her to follow him. She followed the old man with a puzzled look to the boiler room. When they stood on the bridge, a red glow illuminated the interior of the ship. Elyrie saw four men sitting around a fire, drinking and talking. Elyrie moved forward, only for Uncle to gently grab her wrist to stop her.

"I'm sick of taking his orders," she heard Jee say, "and I'm tired of chasing his Avatar. I mean, who does Zuko think he is?" he added in an angry tone.

"Do you really want to know?" Uncle asked calmly, his gentle voice echoing off the metal walls. The four crewmembers looked up in surprise, with Jee quickly apoligizng.

"General Iroh, we were just –"he stammered.

"It's okay" Iroh said while peacefully raising his hand. "May we join you?".

"Of course" Jee said and rose up to give his seat to the older man. Elyrie said nothing as she descended from the stairs, looking at the crewmembers. Jee politely nodded at her and he gave a quick nod to the other members present. The second man, she thought he was the engineer, motioned for her to take his place, but she politely shook her head and continued to stand beside Uncle.

Iroh stroked his beard after he sat down. "Try to understand" he said to the present crewmembers, "My nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much".

Then he started to tell the crew members the story. The story which send shivers down Elyrie's spine, even after five long years. She remembered the day like it was yesterday. She and Zuko had been studying when they got word of a war meeting which would take place later that afternoon. Zuko had been eighteen years old and eager to attend, she remembered. Elyrie felt a sting, as she was the one who had encouraged him to attend, push him in trying to learn as much as he could.

Uncle continued to tell the story of how Zuko asked to attend the war meeting, where the attacks on the Earth Kingdom where planned. Elyrie never knew what actually had happened during the war meeting, except that Zuko spoke out of turn. She listened to Uncle's calm voice while fixating her eyes on the fire in front of her.

"The General opted to sacrifice a division of young Fire Nation recruits as a distraction for a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion. The plan was to let them be the bait while the more experienced soldiers attacked the Earth Kingdom troops from behind." Iroh said in a passive tone, trying to control his emotions. "The General barely had finished speaking when Zuko spoke up. He said that they could not sacrifice an entire division like that and that the recruits loved and defended their nation. Zuko stated that they did not deserved to be betrayed."

Elyrie closed her eyes while a tear fell down her cheek.

"Zuko was right, you see?" Iroh added in a grim tone, "But it was not his place to speak out and there were dire consequences." He took a sip of his drink, which Jee had offered him. The crewmembers listened in silence with wide eyes.

"After Zuko's outburst in the meeting," Iroh continued, "the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect. There was only one way to resolve this."

"Agni Kai" Jee said quietly, "A fire duel."

Elyrie felt her tears flowing as she remembered how the Agni Kai room was prepared for the duel. She had heard from Uncle that Zuko was to participate in the Agni Kai and she had begged him to take her with him. Iroh had relented, but made her promise not to leave his side during the Agni Kai.

"That's right" Iroh told Jee, "Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood; when he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general." Iroh continued, while looking around the group of men. "Zuko had spoken out against the generals plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lords war room, it was the Fire Lord himself whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

The crewmembers sucked in their breath, surprised.

" _You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher_." Those words made her shiver. And the scream that followed, she will never forget.

"I looked away" Iroh finished and looked around the circle. He saw the men stare at him, as if they could not believe what he had just told them. He himself had trouble believing it, but it was the sad truth.

He looked at the girl standing beside him, but she did not look at him. Instead, she looked at the fire. Her cheeks were stained with tears, which kept flowing even though she did not make a sound. She was reliving it as well, remembering every moment, he thought. She had been beside him during the Agni Kai. She had grasped his hand at the reveal of the Fire Lord, but had not said a word. She had been crying as well when Zuko begged for his father's forgiveness. When Iroh had looked away, she had her face pressed against his shoulder, turning away as well from the horrid sight. He was glad she did not witness it, as he himself could not.

The captain finally spoke. "I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident."

Elyrie finally spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper and her eyes still fixated on the fire. "It was no accident". Her soft voice was filled with hatred, as were her eyes.

Iroh resumed: "After the duel, the Fire Lord said by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honour."

"So that is why he is so obsessed." Jee said, understanding at last. "Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

Iroh sighed. "Things will never return to normal." He said in a harsh tone.

Elyrie looked at the old general and placed her small hand on his shoulder. He too carried the burden Zuko was forced to bear and she was thankful for his compassion. "But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope." Iroh concluded in a softer voice.

 _The Avatar gives Zuko hope, and so does Elyrie does_ , Iroh added silently in his mind. She was a friend, someone he needed beside himself as a mentor. Moreover, Iroh knew Elyrie reminded his nephew of his happier days, and her cheerful nature had a positive effect on him. He placed his old hand over her small hand and smiled at the young girl. Her eyes were red, but she bravely smiled back at him

A loud sound startled them, followed by a crashing sound of falling metal. The men raced onto the deck with Elyrie quickly following. When she reached the deck, she almost lost her balance. The ship was rocking on the high waves and water was splashing on the deck.

Elyrie slipped on the water in her hurry and almost fell over, but two arms steadied her before she could lose her balance. Zuko had caught her before she fell down. She grasped his upper arms, muttering a quick thanks. Zuko nodded, holding onto her while trying to keep his own balance.

"Where were we hit?" he yelled over the sounds of the crashing rain and waves.

"I don't know" Jee yelled back, while looking around. The rain slammed onto them. Elyrie's curls stuck to her face and the waves drenched her, soaking her to the bone.

"Look" Iroh exclaimed, while pointing at the watchtower. Elyrie squinted her eyes when the lightening illuminated the dark ship. She saw what Uncle meant: the helmsman hang onto the railing helplessly, barely holding on.

"The helmsman!" Zuko yelled. He let go of her and swiftly made his way up the ladder of the watchtower, with Jee following him. They started to climb up to reach the helmsman.

The ship continued to sway from left to right. Elyrie watched with fear in her eyes as the two men tried to reach the helmsman. Her hands clasped in front of her face, she barely paid attention to her surroundings. She was startled by a second lightning strike, but saw Uncle quickly reacting. The bolt made its way to the ship, but Iroh redirected the lightning away from the ship and back into the sea. He lit up like a second sun, before releashing the lightning into the ocean. After that, he looked a bit burned on the edges, but her mouth fell open at this display of firebending.

However, the shock that rocked the ship was the final push for the helmsman. He lost his grip and fell down with a loud scream. In a reflex Zuko grabbed the man hand, preventing him from falling to his death. When he steadied his grip, he carefully lowered the elderly helmsman to Jee. The captain was a few feet beneath him and took over the man, with a proud look at Zuko. Zuko gave him a look of understanding before they made their way back down to the deck.

Once they reached the deck, Elyrie made her way over to the helmsman. She inspected his hands and his face, searching for bruises or injuries. But, despite being shaken up, the old man seemed to be okay. She steadied him, letting him lean on her while Zuko and the other crewmembers anxiously searched the ship for damage.

Zuko looked at Elyrie. Her curls were sticking to her face and she used all her might to support the shaken man. They exchanged looks before his attention was caught by a flying shape in the rainy sky. The distinct shape of the Avatar's sky bison was impossible to miss.

"The Avatar" Zuko exclaimed, his voice louder than the thunder and the crashing waves.

"What do you want to do, sir?" Jee yelled, waiting for his orders.

It took Zuko only a few seconds to decide. "Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety first." He ordered while turning around to face his crew.

"Then I suggest we head to the eye of the storm" Uncle instructed while giving his nephew an appreciative look. The men quickly spread to change course.

Elyrie reacted as well, nudging the helmsman back inside once they reached calmer water. The ship stopped swaying and she led him to her room to recover. He gave her a grateful look when he sank onto the bed. She smiled back at the old man.

"Can I do anything for you, sir?" she asked him. He shook his head, but she poured him a glass of water even so. He drank it swiftly before laying down. When he closed his eyes, she quietly left the room and closed the door.

She made her way back onto the deck, where Zuko and Uncle were inspecting the ship. The rain had stopped and she saw a spot of blue in the sky. They had safely made it to the eye of the storm, she thought with a smile.

When she reached the two men, a giant wave seemed to appear next to the vessel. It was, on second glance, not a wave. It was the sky bison of the Avatar emerging from the water. She saw the Avatar in his distinctive orange and yellow clothing gazing down at them. She looked at Zuko, who had his eyes fixed on the boy as well.

He sighed. "Uncle," Zuko said in a raspy voice, "I am sorry." He bowed his head in shame. He had endangered them all in his thoughtless pursuit of the Avatar. It had nearly cost them the life of the helmsman, who had served him dutiful.

Iroh placed his hand on the shoulder of his nephew. "Your apology is accepted" he said with a fatherly smile before turning to go back inside, to a nice warm cup of tea.

Zuko's eyes fell on Elyrie, who shook her wet curls out of her face. He noticed her scar on her left temple and felt his heart constrict. He had endangered her too. What must she think of him after his behaviour of today?

But when he met her eyes, she smiled at him.


	12. Recurring Nightmares

Zuko laid down his head and groaned. He had a terrible headache. While massaging his temples with two fingers, he recalled the events of the day. The fight on deck, the storm, the helmsman, Elyrie's kind smile…

He sighed and turned on his side, away from the Fire Nation flag. As if today had not been hard enough, his head had been overflowing with memories. Since Elyrie had stayed on the ship, it seemed the past had come back to haunt him with a vengeance. He feared that his nightmares would come back. His mother, lost and alone. His father, disowning him and banishing him. His sister, taunting him. " _Dad's gonna kill you_ '.

He closed his eyes and silently prayed for another peaceful night, like the night before. He remembered Elyrie's lullaby, hoping it would hold back the nightmares.

He was mistaken.

_The dark figure moving towards him as he fell to his knees._ _Begging again for mercy._

_"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko". A cold voice. Zuko felt his tears flowing. "I won't fight you", he heard himself answer again._

_"Zuko!" he heard a feminine voice call from far away. She appeared in front of him, facing him while her back was turned to his fathers approaching silhouette. She looked younger, like she was sixteen again. Her cheeks rounder, her hair down. Crying sapphire eyes._

_"Get away!" he yelled to her, but she did not move. She kept looking at him and reached to touch his face. He panicked, wanting to get her out of harms way._

_"You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher", he heard his father say while aiming his flaming fist at Elyrie's back._

_"No!" he yelled. "Zuko!" he heard her yell again when his father aimed his fire at her. She cried his name again before falling down._

"Zuko! Zuko, wake up!" he heard her voice call him. He turned his head around, but felt hands on his face. A pale face came into his view, blue eyes large with worry.

"Wake up!" Elyrie said while shaking his shoulders.

In a reflex, he grabbed her and pulled her against his chest. Protectively, he curled his arms around her, feeling her warmth against his body. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing.

Elyrie shrieked in surprise when Zuko pulled her down and placed his arms around her. She was surprised at his fervent reaction, not sure how to react. With her head on his chest, she heard his beating heart and heavy breathing. She did not move and waited until his breathing steadied.

Minutes earlier, she had walked past his room when she had trouble sleeping herself a few minutes earlier. The rain had stopped and she wanted a bit of fresh air, so she made her way towards the deck. But when she passed his room, she heard stifled cries and heavy breathing. She only hesitated for a moment before she entered his room.

He had been trashing in his bed, wildly moving his arms from side to side. She had knelt beside him and tried to wake him. It had the opposite effect, since he seemed to only become more restless. She tried harder, shaking him and kept calling his name. His eyes had snapped open and looked straight at her before pulling her down.

His breathing was more regular now and his heart pounded in a steady rhythm. His arms were still curled around her, but she carefully pushed herself back off his chest onto her elbows. When she looked at his face, she saw he had fallen back asleep.

Gently releasing herself from his grip, she sat back. She had knelt down to try and wake him and he had pulled her in a surprisingly tight hug. It had been slightly uncomfortable and she felt her legs stinging. She stretched her strained muscles, still not entirely sure what just had happened.

He had not been wearing a shirt, which made the whole encounter even more uncomfortable for her. It was strangely intimate, even if it had not been the first time she had seen him shirtless. She quickly shook her head and looked back at the sleeping firebender. He most likely did not even realize she was here and had fallen back asleep in moments.

She stood up and wetted a cloth with water. Walking back to his bedside, she softly hummed a lullaby. She wiped his forehead and listened to his breathing. He seemed to sleep soundly. She smiled. Then she yawned and decided it was best to leave.

"Goodnight" she whispered as she stood up and left the room, slowly closing the door behind her.

* * *

The next morning, Zuko woke up feeling refreshed. He had slept well and the headache was gone. He got out of bed to wash himself. After a quick rinse, he got dressed and went to eat his breakfast. He sat alone as he ate his breakfast and inquired after his Uncle and Elyrie. After all, his Uncle never missed a meal. He was informed that they had eaten breakfast already and were training on the deck.

"Training?" Zuko repeated with a frown. He did not know Elyrie had been training with his Uncle. Again, he mentally groaned at his behaviour of yesterday. He had lost a whole day with Elyrie because of his temper and pride.

"Yes sir," the crewman answered, "Miss Elyrie requested a few firebending practices." Zuko nodded at the man and motioned for him to leave. Elyrie had mentioned something about being jealous of him for training with masters, he remembered while eating his breakfast.

Jee entered and bowed to him. "Sir," he said while looking at the younger man, "We will reach Pohuai Stronghold tomorrow morning. Would you like to send a hawk to announce our arrival with Miss Elyrie?"

Zuko thought about it for a moment, feeling a sting of regret. He wished it would take just a little bit longer to reach their destination. He quickly repressed the thought of delaying. They had lost enough time chasing the Avatar already.

"Thank you, captain" he said with an impassive face, "Please send a hawk to Commander Zhao announcing the arrival of his fiancée."

Jee nodded, missing the slight falter of the Prince's voice at the word 'fiancée'. "He would be glad to have his fiancée back safe and sound." Jee answered.

Zuko nodded absentmindedly as Jee left. He repressed the thoughts about Zhao and finished his breakfast. He sighed and pushed his bowl away. _Better tell Elyrie about the news_ , he thought with a groan.

* * *

They had started training early in the morning, with the rising sun. She was definitely not a morning person, but she tried her best. She quickly mastered the basics and followed Iroh's instructions carefully. Iroh had studied her movements and adapted his instruction to suit her. She moved like a waterbender, dancing through the movements. She was flexible and fast, easily evading his attacks. _With a good master, she would be able to become a great firebender_ , Iroh mused.

Her style was unique, which intrigued him. It was clear she mostly taught herself, since her form was vastly different from his own or any other firebender. Instead of using open palms or fists, she bended fire with her middle and index finger, like Azula used to do. However, that was the only similarity to the bending style of the Princess. Elyrie was more defensive and her movements were more circular, like she was dancing. But when she attacked, her attacks were precise and her aim flawless. She even surprised him with her own moves, like how she used her fire to launch herself several meters off the ground.

Elyrie wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling energized. Her face glowed from the exercise. They had been training for an hour when Zuko approached them.

"Good morning, Prince Zuko" his Uncle greeted. Elyrie nodded to him, hoping it would hide her blush. She remembered how her head had rested on his naked chest. Quickly repressing this thought, she focused on her breathing. Uncle instructed her on a firekick, so she continued the movement.

Zuko mumbled a greeting while he observed the training. For training, she wore pants and a shorter top, which let her stomach and arms free. She had braided her hair out of the way during the practices. His mouth went dry watching her, appreciating her slender figure and womanly curves. She moved with effortless grace as she practiced her movements. Her skin glowed and her blue eyes sparkled. Reprimanding himself for gazing at her, he cleared his throat.

Uncle and Elyrie looked his way when he cleared his throat. Hastily, he thought of something to say.

"You fight good." He managed to say, mentally scolding himself as soon as it came out of his mouth.

But Elyrie smiled at him. "Thank you." She answered while looking at Uncle, "Uncle has been giving me a crash course." Iroh looked at his nephew, noticing the blush on his good cheek.

He smiled a fatherly smile at him and looked back at Elyrie. "You are a very good student, my dear" he said affectionately. "It is nice when someone listens to my instructions for a change" he added teasingly when he looked back at his nephew.

Zuko groaned and shot his Uncle an angry look. Elyrie chuckled.

"You are lucky to train with such a great instructor every day," she said to Zuko, "You know I never formally trained with a master. All I can, I taught myself or took over from you." Zuko remembered sparring with her when they were younger.

"How about a little match to see how much you learned?" he answered with a cock of his eyebrow.

Uncle frowned. Zuko's bending was quite rough, mostly due to the fact he fuelled his inner fire with rage. Would he attack her with the same aggression he normally showed and hurt her? However, he did not discourage the idea. He was convinced Elyrie was able to hold her own against his nephew, even in the short amount of time they practiced. She had trained herself with an iron discipline and even if her technique was slightly different, she was still a very capable bender.

Elyrie raised her eyebrows at Zuko, but agreed immediately. She never backed down from a challenge. She nodded at him and took her fighting stance, excited to spar again after such a long time. Zuko quickly removed his heaviest armour, so he was able to move more freely. He walked to the other side of the deck to face her.

Iroh took a few steps back and watched the two with his hands in his sleeves. _This will be very interesting,_ he mused.

When he took his fighting stance, Zuko aimed a fireball at her. It had been a controlled attack to go easy on her. She turned around and easily evaded the attack and ran towards him. In his surprise, he aimed another fireball at her. But he was too slow in his reaction. She jumped and blasted herself into the air with her firebending, Zuko looked up, but was blinded by the sunlight and he lost her for a moment. Then, she landed in front of him within the blink of an eye. She stood in front of him before he realized it and grabbed his wrist, pulling it down.

With his wrist down and her two fingers aimed at his throat, he was cornered. He blinked his eyes at her.

"Never underestimate your opponent" she said with a mischievous smile. Her eyes gleamed with pride. He heard Uncle chuckle from the sideline.

She let go of his wrist, still smirking at him. He shook his head and said "You're on."

She retook her stance and waited. Zuko growled and attacked again, aiming his fireballs at her with more speed. She evaded them just as quickly and never stopped moving. Her petite frame and natural flexibility made her a difficult target.

 _It was like trying to punch a feather,_ Iroh chuckled to himself as he saw the confusion rise by his nephew.

Zuko stopped and regained his breath. That is when she started to attack. With two fingers, she aimed small shots of fire at him. When he evaded them, she started doing the firekicks. He blocked her attacks with a smug smile. She saw it and smirked back. Elyrie took a breath and started to make her way towards him, using her flexibility to her advantage.

Iroh watched amused from the sideline. It was like watching a waterbender and a firebender spar. She was more defensive than offensive and slipped through Zuko's fiery attacks. He on the other hand was far stronger in his attacks and blocked hers easily.

 _They should practice together more often_ , he thought with a chuckle. Their vastly different styles complimented each other.

Elyrie made her way closer to Zuko, not breaking eye contact as she advanced. Zuko noticed her approaching and created firewhips. The long scorching flames extended from his hands and he aimed them at her. She was surprised, but quickly adapted her style. Evading them using acrobatics, she moved through the lines. She blocked his hits and made her way back to him. She noticed he kept his midriff exposed when he raised his arms for another attack.

She grinned and ran straight towards him, catching him off guard. Zuko yelped when she physically ran into him and they fell onto the metal floor of the deck. In his confusion, she straddled him and pinned his wrists next to his head.

"Mercy?" she asked with a smug smile as her loose curls tickled his face.

However, she was not trained in hand-to-hand combat like Zuko was. Zuko quickly reacted and rolled them over, pinning her wrists to the ground above her head. She shrieked when he flipped her over.

Zuko smiled arrogantly. "You cheated, so now you get to beg for mercy" he said teasingly.

"Never!" she yelled while trying to get herself free. It was useless. Zuko was stronger and heavier than she was, so she had nowhere to go. Amused, Zuko watched her attempts to break free but held her pinned down with ease. After a few tries, she relented.

"Fine, I surrender" she said with an angry glare, "Now get off me!". Zuko smirked and got off her. He extended his hand to help her stand up and she took it, albeit a little bit grumpy. Her hair had become undone and her cheeks were pink. She started to laugh however when she was back on her feet and Zuko could not help but smile. That certainly was an interesting sparring match.

Iroh looked at the pair and shook his head at them, while trying to hide his amused grin.

"Elyrie, that is not how you spar." He reprimanded the auburn haired girl. She smiled innocently at him.

"And Prince Zuko," he continued, "you never force a lady to beg for mercy."

Zuko shrugged and said "Well, she started it." Elyrie opened her mouth to protest when lieutenant Jee approached them.

"Prince Zuko," he said when he nodded to the other two, "I have received a message back from Commander Zhao." He extended his hand and offered Zuko a piece of paper. Elyrie widened her eyes. Zuko evaded her look when he took the massage and read it out loud:

_We will pick up my fiancée at the Phan Hue Harbour tomorrow at noon. Expect to see her in good health._

That was it. Two sentences. Zuko felt his temper flare at the arrogance and indifference of the Commander. He looked at Elyrie and saw she clenched her jaw as well. He ignored the urge to burn the paper in his hands and pinched his nose bridge.

Elyrie in turn gritted her teeth at the message. She could practically hear Zhao's condescending tone through the written words. There was no thanks for saving her or for offering to escort her back to him. She absentmindedly touched her small scar and sighed.

"I'm going to clean up for lunch" she simply said and walked away.


	13. Heated Words

Elyrie let the engagement ring roll between her thumb and index finger and sighed. She sat on her bed, cross-legged and wearing a robe. Her damp curls were combed back after she had washed herself. When she had come out of the bathroom, her eyes fell on the pompous engagement ring on her nightstand. She had picked it up and played with it for quite some time now, pondering about what tomorrow would look like.

It had felt like a dream, getting away from her real life. Even if she was hurt in the process, she was secretly glad it happened. These past few days felt like a small vacation with Zuko and Uncle. And it felt longer than a mere three days, but of course a lot had happened in those days. She chuckled and placed her ring back on her nightstand. As long she kept it off, she could pretend it wasn't almost over.

She pushed herself off the bed and started to get dressed. She opened the dresser and took out the two dresses Uncle had bought for her. _They truly are beautiful_ , she thought when laying them down on the bed.

The first dress was made of a burgundy mousseline and trimmed with black lace on the bodice, creating an elegant form. The other one was made of silk in the colour of a rose. The bodice was tight, closing with white buttons in the front, but the skirt hang loose. The first one was more mature, while the second one was more playful. She smiled and picked the second one.

She whistled when she closed the buttons in the front and inspected herself in the mirror. _It is beautiful_ , she thought with a smile, _Uncle really has taste when it comes to this_. She smiled and spun around, causing the skirt to twirl around her. She giggled and shook out her curls, which were almost dry. She pinned the front locks back again, but left out a few strands for a more playful look. She felt a bit mischievous, but decided that if her stay here was almost over she would make the most of her last day.

* * *

When she entered the room, she saw Uncle and Zuko already waiting. Uncle nodded appreciatively at her appearance.

"You look wonderful" he said with a kind smile. Elyrie gave him a broad smile.

"Thanks to you, Uncle", she said lovingly, "You truly have an impeccable taste."

He let out a small chuckle and looked at his nephew. "Prince Zuko, don't you think Elyrie looks beautiful?" he asked innocently. Zuko cleared his throat when he looked at her. She gave him a playful smile and made a twirl, her dress flowing behind her.

He rolled his eyes at her, but could not deny she looked truly beautiful. He shot an annoyed look at his Uncle, who wiggled his eyebrows at him, but nodded to Elyrie. He was glad that lunch was served at that exact moment.

Elyrie sat down and picked up her chopsticks. They had spicy dumplings for lunch, her favourite. She suspected Uncle had something to do with this.

"It is delicious" she said to Uncle. He nodded, but was to busy enjoying his meal to answer. She giggled at the old man.

Zuko ate in silence, taking small bites and chewing slowly. He was thinking about their schedule. Jee had informed him a few minutes ago that they had a favourable wind, which meant they should arrive earlier than expected at the Phan Hue Harbour. With a bit of luck, they would arrive before sunset. He played with his dumpling, pondering what to do with the new information. He could contact Zhao about their changed schedule and let Elyrie be picked up this evening. Then he would be free to pursue the Avatar again, who was probably heading farther north. They had lost a lot of time already.

But when he looked at the blue eyed girl sitting across him, he started to doubt. _She could stay one more night_ , he mused. After all, they probably wouldn't depart again before the next morning. He would probably lose only a few hours, nothing more. He convinced himself that it was not worth the trouble to change the schedule.

In the meantime, Uncle had finished his plate of dumplings and patted his mouth with a napkin. He looked at Elyrie, who took her last dumpling.

"You know", he said after lowering his napkin, "This is probably your last evening with us." Elyrie nodded with her mouth full. "We must make it a memorable evening then." He continued. Zuko looked up with a frown, curious what Uncle meant.

"What do you think about a music night?" he asked Elyrie with smile. Elyrie's eyes lit up and her smile widened.

On the other side of the table, Zuko groaned at the suggestion. He hated his Uncle's music nights. Ever since they bought a tsungi horn after their encounter with the pirates, his Uncle had been pushing him to participate. Just when he was about to protest, he saw Elyrie's face lit up at the suggestion.

"Can we really?" she cried out, "I would love that!" She clapped her small hands together and looked expectantly at Zuko. He met her sapphire eyes, full of happiness.

Zuko sighed and knew he could not refuse.

"Yes, we can." he mumbled. Uncle smiled at him with fatherly pride. _Maybe she could convince him to play the tsungi horn as well,_ he thought amused.

"Then I start preparing for tonight" Uncle said when he stood up. Elyrie rose up as well.

"Can I help you with anything?" she asked, still smiling. He pinched her cheek as he passed by and shook his head.

"No, dear, I can manage. But you have to do me one favour." he said while looking at her with a small flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Of course, anything!" she nodded.

"Will you sing for us tonight? I would so very much like to hear you sing again." he asked while giving her a proud look. She smiled shyly, but agreed. She would love to.

After Uncle had left, Elyrie made another twirl. "A music night!" she happily said, "What a wonderful idea".

Zuko rolled his eyes and shook his head, but smiled amused.

"Come," he motioned her when he stood up, "Let's get some fresh air." She nodded and almost tripped walking out of the door. He again rolled his eyes at her. She kept chatting about the music night and bombarded him with questions about it. He was ashamed to admit he actually disliked the music nights, but luckily she was too busy being enthusiastic to pay attention to his answers.

When they reached the deck, the sun had warmed the metal ship. It was a cloudless day and Elyrie breathed in the salty sea air. She loved the sea wind through her hair. She looked at the seemingly endless sea and extended her arms, as if she wanted to fly away right there.

Zuko looked at her and felt warmth spread trough his chest. It was impossible to be moody around her. She was a ray of sunshine everywhere she went. Even he had not been brooding as much the past days, which meant something.

She suddenly looked at him with her big blue eyes and grasped his hands. Surprised at her sudden movement, he stopped.

"I never thanked you for the rose." She said with a genuine smile. He smiled, remembering the rose he left on her windowsill after the first day.

"You are welcome." he said while looking down shyly, "and I never thanked you for your help." he added warmly. She smiled and turned her face towards the sun, leaning forward on the railing.

"I meant to ask you, why did you help me?" Zuko asked as he leaned his elbows on the railing. Elyrie turned her face to meet his golden eyes.

"Zhao wants to capture the Avatar out of vanity." She answered, "You had a different reason. And I hoped you would treat the Avatar with more respect once you captured him."

She gazed back to the blue waves in front of her. She would rather have all together that they did not need to capture the Avatar as if he was some sort of prize, but she did not say it out loud.

Zuko noticed the change in tone, however. "You sound as if you care?" he asked with a frown. Elyrie sighed and kept looking at the dancing waves.

"I do" she answered truthfully.

"Why?" Zuko asked while deepening his frown.

She rested her elbows on the metal railing. "Because I do not like the idea of the Avatar, the bridge between the spirit world and the human world, being hunted like some prized animal.".

Zuko straightened his back at this answer. "I only can return home after I capture the Avatar and you worry about that?" he answered with a hint of annoyance in his voice. She of all people should understand why it is so important for him to capture the Avatar.

"I know," she replied without looking at him, "and that is why I helped you. But that still does not mean I agree with all of it."

Zuko's temper was tested, but he took a breath to calm himself. "So you think my father was wrong to ask this?"

This time, the answer came without hesitation. She turned and looked him straight in his golden eyes.

"Yes." she said, plain and simple, "the Fire Lord wages a useless war which only brings destruction to the world. The Avatar brings hope, yet he wants him captured."

Elyrie regretted it as soon as the words had rolled off her tongue. Not because they were not true, but because she knew how much they would hurt Zuko. And she was right.

Zuko's nostrils flared. "You think my quest and the war are useless?" he growled, his voice twisted with contained anger.

She bit her lip, weighing her options. She knew he wanted to hear that his father was using the war as a way of sharing the Fire Nations greatness with the world. That he expanded the empire so his son, the Crown Prince, could take over the greatest nation in history. However, she had never lied to him before and was not planning to start today.

"Yes." she answered again, "We've been told that the war was a way of sharing the Fire Nations greatness with the world, but you know as well as I do that it is a lie. War only brings destruction and pain."

Zuko clenched his jaw and walked away. "You are naïve. What do you know about politics?" he sneered at her.

Elyrie turned around and looked at his back. She knew he was angry with her, but she did not care. He needed to hear it from someone who cared for him.

"You are royalty, why don't you know more about diplomacy?" she retorted with her arms crossed. "Fear is no way to lead a nation. True loyalty comes from love and devotion."

He quickly turned around and approached her. She was not intimidated and met his golden eyes.

"You sound like my Uncle, -." He began, but she quickly interrupted him. "Good, I wish you did." His words failed him when he met her determined eyes. With an angry growl, he lit up his fists and blasted flames into the sky. Then he walked away without saying another word.

Elyrie sat down against the railing, feeling empty.

"I just effectively spoiled the last day" she softly said.

* * *

Iroh hummed to himself as he finished the last things on deck and smiled when he looked at his work. He had decorated the deck with a dozen candles, lighting up the night sky. All the instruments had been brought on deck. There were at least ten different instrument, varying from a pipa to a tambourine, so anyone could play what he wished. The sun had set just after they reached the Phan Hue harbour, which made the timing ideal. Without anyone needing to steer or command the ship, they all could participate. He had invited all the crewmembers and they slowly started to arrive on deck. Iroh poured them drinks and made sure they felt comfortable.

But one person was missing. He had knocked on his nephews door earlier, but was rebuffed. Zuko refused to participate, preferring to stay in his dark room. Iroh had tried to convince his brooding nephew by saying it was Elyrie's last night on the ship, but was shot down quickly.

"I don't care if she stays or leaves" Zuko angerly answered before turning his back on his uncle.

Iroh sighed. Something had happened between them, but he was not going to push his nephew. If he wanted to stay alone in his dark room, that was up to him. He refused to let Elyrie's last night be spoiled by that.

Elyrie came onto the deck last, as Iroh had intended, and gasped in surprise.

It was beautiful! Uncle motioned for her to come closer and had saved her a seat. She sat down as he poured her a cup of tea. She thanked him and looked around the circle. The whole crew, at least a dozen men, had come to celebrate. She had seen most of them and smiled, but felt a little bit of regret since she knew Zuko was not here. Iroh saw her eyes darken and patted her on the back.

"Don't take it personally, dear" he said in a cheerful voice, "My nephew despises music nights. He never attends them." She gave him a grateful smile and took a sip.

"Captain, would you do us the honour?" Iroh said. Jee nodded and took the pipa. _The music night is apparently a regular thing on the ship_ , Elyrie thought amused.

The captain started a beautiful love song while Iroh played the tsungi horn. It was beautiful, especially when Jee started to sing. He had a rich, deep voice. She applauded loudly when he was finished.

Then, more crewmembers started to play their instruments in a more upbeat tempo. Elyrie clapped along to the rhythm, smiling and cheering. The men started to dance and she smiled when the helmsman approached her. He took his cap off and politely asked her to dance with him.

"I would be honoured" she replied and took his hand. She followed his lead and had a wonderful time. The helmsman was much older than she was, so she adjusted her pace to match his. He smiled at her. It had been a long time since he had danced with a woman.

"Mind if I cut in?" he heard the captains voice ask the after a new song had started. The helmsman nodded and let go of her, but not before he kissed her hand and smiled at her. She smiled back at the older man, flattered by his kindness.

Jee was younger, so they moved faster. He placed his hand around her waist and swung her around the deck, with the crew clapping and cheering. She laughed and danced until the song had ended. Out of breath, Jee guided her back to her seat. Iroh poured her another drink and she gratefully took a sip. Even if Zuko was not here, she had a great time nonetheless. The crew continued their happy folksongs. Uncle even tossed her the tambourine and she jumped back up and played along, tapping the tambourine to the rhythm.

After a few songs, she sat down again. The moon was full and the blue light formed a pretty contrast with the warm flames on the deck. Uncle took his seat next to her and gave her a small nudge.

"Would you sing something now, dear?" he asked Elyrie. She smiled shyly, but nodded. She knew what she'd liked to sing and walked towards Jee. She told him about the song and he nodded, familiar with the melody. Iroh clapped his hands to get the attention of the crew.

"My dear men, tonight is Elyrie's last night on the ship." She felt herself blush at the disappointed noises the crew made. "Yes, I know it is a shame. However, -" Iroh continued in a cheerful voice, "she has agreed to sing something for us. And I can assure you, you have never heard something like this in your lives. Her voice can break your hearts." He finished. The crew took their seats and applauded.

Elyrie felt herself blush even more at Uncle's words, but took a breath to calm herself. The song she had chosen was from her favourite play. She had sung it a hundred times before by herself and felt comfortable with it. But she would be lying to herself is she believed that were the only reasons. She mentally shook her head and motioned for Jee to start. He played the first notes and she started to sing along.

_Think of me_

_Think of me fondly_

_When we said goodbye_

_Remember me_

_Every so often_

_Promise me you'll try_

_On that day, that not so distant day_

_When you are far away and free_

_If you ever find a moment_

_Spare a thought for me_

The crew listened in awe while Elyrie sang. She was a soprano and this song fitted her vocal range perfectly. Her clear voice sounded across the deck and over the water. Jee played along, mesmerized by her lovely voice. Every man on the ship was enchanted by her voice at that moment.

Everyone, even the brooding man in his room.


	14. Sweet Songs

_And though it's clear_

_Though it was always clear_

_That this was never meant to be_

_If you happen to remember_

_Stop and think of me_

Her voice made it's way to his room. Her high notes floated towards his ears and he sat up straight. He had heard the song before, but couldn't make out the words. Without thinking, he stepped out of bed and opened his door.

Her voice became clearer and he recognized the song. It had been her favourite song when she was younger. She had sung it while she accompanied herself on the piano in the palace. It was from a play they had seen together with his Mother. Mother loved plays and Elyrie happily went along with them. Her natural affinity for music had made her an eager student and she had played the piano with his Mother over a thousand times. Zuko listened again to her voice and started to make his way towards the deck.

Elyrie reached the second verse, feeling joy spread through her chest.

_Think of us_

_When the world was green_

_Don't think about the way_

_Things might have been_

Iroh stroked his beard as he smiled at her choice. _Clever little thing_ , he thought. This song was sweet and innocent, but her reason to sing this was hard to miss. It was her way of apologising without having to say it in so many words. A stubborn girl through and through, but she had the wit to challenge Zuko without having to face him directly. He closed his eyes and continued to listen to her voice.

_Think of me_

_Think of me waking_

_Silent and resigned_

_Imagine me, trying too hard_

_To put you from my mind_

Elyrie felt happy that her voice had not failed her. She had picked the song for a reason, but only now did she fully grasp the similarities with the song and her own situation at the moment. She wanted Zuko to think of her, as she would think of him when she had returned to Zhao. She wanted to part as friends, not in this angry way. She poured her heart in the song and sang the lyrics with all the love she possessed. Her eyes found Uncle, who gave her an encouraging nod.

Then her eyes met familiar golden eyes, which shimmered in the candlelight. His face looked stern, but his eyes watched her with awe. She smiled and hold his gaze as she continued

_Think of me_

_Please say you'll think of me_

_Whatever else you choose to do_

_There will never be a day_

_When I won't think of you_

Zuko stood behind his Uncle and looked at the blue eyed girl. She was singing like an angel and her voice had drawn him out of his dark room, as she had done so many times before. Her voice just sounded like home, afternoons spent playing together and music lessons with his Mother.

_Flowers fade_

_The fruits of summer fade_

_They have their seasons_

_So do we_

_But promise me_

_That sometimes_

_You will think_

Elyrie felt her cheeks heat up as she reached the end of the song. Her eyes glittered with pride and joy. She looked around the men when she took a deep breath. The last note of the song was a high D, so she mastered all her courage. Then she looked Zuko straight in the eyes with a mischievous smile as she belted the last note.

_Of me!_

She clasped her hands on her chest. Slightly out of breath, she felt her heart pounding against her chest. It had been a long time since she had sung for a crowd, but the feeling of triumph was overwhelming.

There were a few seconds of silence. The crewmembers simply stared at her without making a sound as the last note died away. Then Jee put down his pipa, stood up and started to clap. Iroh joined, quickly followed by the rest. The crew gave her a standing ovation and she felt herself blush again at their kindness. She bowed elegantly and smiled widely when she came back up again.

Zuko clapped as well with a small smile on his pale lips. He shook his head, but could not help himself. He could not stay mad at her. She had sung a beautiful song with the voice of an angel, but he was not oblivious at the hidden meaning. Uncle gave him a small nudge and looked at him. Zuko scoffed at his Uncle, who wiggled his eyebrows at him.

"Stop it." He said in a grumpy voice, "I'm not playing the tsungi horn."

Elyrie walked towards Uncle and Zuko. Her eyes still sparkled with happiness as Uncle grasped both her hands.

"My dear," he said as he looked at her, "You sang beautifully." Then her turned to the men and added "Didn't I tell you her voice could break hearts?" The men murmured in agreement and made their way to her to compliment her. Elyrie felt shy at the attention but happy at the same time.

Lieutenant Jee was the last to compliment her, but he did it in the most gentlemen-like manner. He bowed before her and lightly kissed her hand.

"By listening to your voice, I remembered what true music sounds like." She made a curtsy to him and took his large hand into both her hands.

"Thank you for accompanying me, captain." She said with a fond smile, "I could not have done it without you." He nodded his head at the compliment and let go of her hand.

Elyrie then turned around and made her way over to Zuko, who stood a bit further away in the shadows. She pressed her lips together.

"So, what did you think?" she asked nonchalantly. Zuko looked at her with a smirk.

"Like I said, you really can't do things quietly." he answered, his look teasing. She cocked her eyebrow and suppressed a grin at his teasing tone. He was no longer mad at her. She was happy her last night on the ship was not spoiled by a fight.

Then, she smiled sweetly at him and elbowed him swiftly in the ribs. He groaned and she laughed.

* * *

The music night had been a great success. Iroh had played the tsungi horn, but Zuko had stayed as well. A rarity, if Elyrie were to believe Uncle. Even though he did not dance or play an instrument, he had sat down with the rest of the crew and enjoyed a drink.

She on the other hand had danced the whole night and played the tambourine, but politely declined to sing another song. One was enough, she thought.

It was around midnight when the crew started to retire to their cabins. Uncle suppressed a yawn and said, "Well, I am going to bed."

Elyrie nodded. "Let me clean up, Uncle." She offered with a smile. Iroh pinched her cheek and chuckled. "No need, dear. Only the instruments need to go back inside, the rest we will do tomorrow."

But she shook her head. "No, please let me help. It is the least I could do after you all have been so kind to me."

"But isn't it too much to do on your own?" Iroh tried, looking at the empty cups and blown out candles on the deck.

"Oh, but Zuko will help me" she said sweetly.

Zuko looked up in surprise and shot her an annoyed look. She returned it with a smirk and batted her long eyelashes at him. "Right?" she asked in a sweet tone, "Since your crew takes such good care of you?"

He scoffed at her and murmured something. It sounded like "The sooner you are off the ship, the better." Nevertheless, he agreed to help.

 _Wrapped around her little finger_ , Iroh thought amused.

* * *

The deck was clean is less than an hour. With Zuko cleaning up empty cups and Elyrie scrubbing stains of the deck, it was done in no time at all. The only thing left to do was to place the instruments inside.

Zuko motioned for her to follow him and showed her the room were the instruments were usually stored, to which she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I thought you never cared for music night, so why do you know where they keep the instruments?" she asked. "Don't tell me you secretly practiced with the tsungi horn?"

He rolled his eyes when he answered. "I don't, but this is known on the ship as Uncle's storage room. He keeps all his stuff here."

Elyrie lit up her hand to get a better look at the dark storage room. But when she had set one foot inside, she shrieked and almost lost her balance as she backed away. A creepy statue of a monkey smiled at her, his ruby eyes lit up by her fire.

"What in the world is that?" she asked with a shriek in her voice.

"Something my Uncle bought from a bunch of pirates." Zuko answered as he lit up his own palm.

"It is terrifying." She said with wide eyes, "And I thought Uncle had such good taste."

Zuko shook his head. "Not when it comes to decorating. When it comes to shopping, he lives by the motto 'The only thing better than finding what you are looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain'."

Elyrie chuckled as she looked around. "So I can see." The entire room was filled with trinkets and things you buy at a marketplace. From seashells to antique chairs, it seemed Uncle had collected them all.

"Lily," she heard Zuko say, so she turned around. He handed her a shawl made of red velvet. "In case you are cold."

"Thank you" she said as she took the shawl. She wrapped it around herself, letting the velvet fabric caress her soft skin. "Another one of Uncle's necessary purchases?" she asked with a smile. Zuko nodded.

"Come," he continued, "Let's finish this." She extinguished her flame and followed him back to the deck. They placed the instruments back in the storage, which took only a few minutes. The last instrument on deck was the pipa, but Elyrie hesitated to bring it inside. She lovingly caressed the beautiful string instrument. _Mama had one just like it,_ she remembered. Zuko extended his hand to take over the pipa, but she shook her head.

"My mother had one just like it. She would often play for me." Absentmindedly, her fingers played with her necklace. The golden locket caught the moonlight. Zuko noticed it.

"Did you get the locket from your mother?" he asked. She shook her head and took off her necklace.

"No, but I always carry my parents with me this way." She opened the locket to show him the pictures inside.

Zuko took a closer look. He remembered her parents well. Her father was an intelligent and kind nobleman, who often helped him with his studies. He saw less of him, however. Her mother he remembered vividly, since she had been a lady-in-waiting for his own mother. He remembered that Elyrie's mother was from the colonies, which was evident in her distinctive appearance. Elyrie had inherited her blue eyes, but not her tan skin or dark brown hair. Nonetheless, the resemblance was uncanny even with the different colouring. "She was a beautiful woman. You look so much like her now." he said matter-of-factly, as if he observed something ordinary. Like the sky was blue of fire was hot.

 _He thinks I'm beautiful?_ Elyrie looked up in surprise. She looked away from his gaze as she closed the locket and put her necklace back on.

"You must miss them." He said softly.

"Everyday." She answered with a melancholic look.

She shivered when the wind brushed against her and she pulled the shawl closer.

"I meant to tell you," she remembered suddenly, "I actually learned a firebreathing technique from Uncle! It does help me a lot, but I always love a shawl to wrap myself in." Zuko looked at her with a frown.

"You never knew about the firebreathing?" he asked confused. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, I did. But I enjoy shivering so much that I simply ignored it for the last twenty or so years." She replied in a sarcastic tone. Zuko scoffed at her answer, but thought about the lessons Uncle had given him. He had taken them for granted the last years, but he realised not all were so lucky to have their own instructor.

"Even though I never formally trained with a master, my mother taught me some moves." She continued. She lit up her fingers and formed a long trail of fire. She pulled it back and let it click, like a whip. It was different from the firewhips he had learned, more fluently and less aggressively. "And some others, I invented myself. Propelling myself came from a fairytale about flying persons. And the twirling firewhip was a combination of classic dance and the whip. The Royal Academy for Girls has drilled me with dancing skills anyway, so I might as well use them in combat when necessary." She smiled a wicked smile. He was impressed by her creativity.

She picked up the pipa again. "How about one more song? Since you missed most of music night?" she said teasingly. Zuko rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Any requests?" she said before quickly adding, "Never mind, I only can play like three songs on the pipa.".

She sat down on the deck with the string instrument on her lap. Lovingly, she stroked the strings and the redwood. It truly was a beautiful instrument. It resembled the one her mother used to play, except maybe this one was smaller. Carefully, she caressed the strings to try it out. A sweet tune came out of the pipa, which made her smile. She adjusted it and played a simple chord, one her mother taught her. It was a simple lullaby. She sang soft and sweet, while the lyrics kept coming back to her as waves on a sandy beach. The song her mother used to sing to her, all those years ago.

_Hush now, my darling_

_Close your eyes and sleep_

_Waltzing the waves_

_Diving the deep_

_Stars are shining bright_

_The wind is on the rise_

_Whispering words of long lost lullabies_

Zuko sat down next to her as she continued to play. Her curls hang loose around her face, framing her heartshaped face. Her slender fingers tickled the strings, while she smiled at Zuko. Her sapphire eyes glowed with pleasure and happiness.

_Oh, won't you come with me?_

_Where the moon is made of gold_

_And in the morning sun_

_We'll be sailing_

_Oh, wont you come with me?_

_Where the ocean meets the sky_

_And as the waves roll by_

_We'll sing the song of the sea_

"I know it is the same again, but it is all I know." She said apologising as she looked back at him. He did not respond but looked at her with a piercing gaze. Self consciously, she quickly looked away and tugged her hair behind her ear. She stood up and went inside to put the pipa in the storage room. She noticed Zuko had not come with her, so she went back outside.

She saw him leaning on the railing, looking over the ocean. He looked sad all of the sudden. She sighed as she made her way towards him. When she stood next to him, she placed her hand on his arm.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly. Zuko looked over the water and sighed.

"What if you are right? What if all of this is useless?" he said in a dark tone. "What if Zhao captures the Avatar before me and I lose everything I ever worked for?"

Elyrie felt her guilt resurface. She did not know what had brought this on, but reached out to him.

"Zuko," she said while softly caressing his arm, "I am sorry about what I said." She placed her hand on his. She choose her words carefully this time, so she could tell him what she thought without forcing her own views on him. "I know you will reclaim your rightful place as heir".

He turned to look at her. She met his piercing golden eyes and saw the pain in them. _He must feel so lost,_ she thought. She wrapped her arms around him, while he continued to look at her. She placed her head against his shoulder.

"I know you will become Fire Lord one day", she whispered "You are a man with honour and a good heart and I know you will lead our Nation the best way you can."

Zuko felt his heart swell at her words. He sighed and let his cheek rest against her hair. He was not surprised at her reaction. She always knew what to say to comfort him.

After she had finished playing on the pipa, his memories had resurfaced. And how far it all seemed out of reach, like she had at that moment. It dawned on him that tomorrow, she would be out of his life again. It filled him with an inexplainable sadness, even when he knew it was about to come to an end. And with her gone, he would be able to focus his energy again on finding the Avatar. But what if that would fail? He would remain a banished prince forever and probably never see her again. And she would be married to Zhao, who might be the one to capture the Avatar instead of him. It felt unbearable at that moment.

He inhaled the rosy scent of her hair. It felt good to feel her so close to him again. She had always comforted him as a child, knowing what to say to cheer him up. And she had embraced him. Like himself, she did not like it when people came into her personal space too often. But she had willingly embraced him, without hesitation. And he was not bothered by her touch. On the contrary, he cherished her being so close to him.

She shivered, feeling the cold sea wind brush against her shoulders. Zuko placed his arms around her and pulled her closer, resting his chin on her shoulders while holding her in front of him. She leaned against his chest and cherished his warmth. His arms wrapped in front of her, she placed her hand over his. They kept standing like that in comfortable silence again looking at the ocean.

"I know you will succeed in reclaiming your birth right" she said after a few minutes while gazing at the ocean in front of her.

"I will miss you, Lily" he said suddenly, his voice almost a whisper. She smiled and turned her head to lean her forehead against his cheek. "I'll miss you too. But this is not the last time we see each other, I promise."

Zuko knew it wouldn't be the last time. He would not be able to bear it if he never saw her again. In a few days, she had become an integral part of his life again. Like nothing had changed since the day he was banished. As if the five long years never stood between them. He knew he was a banished prince and she an engaged woman by now. But when they were together, they were just like two children again, playing and laughing. He had smiled more in these past days than in all of the five years combined.

Elyrie looked at the night sky. A million stars sparkled bright and the ocean reflected the lights. The moon was full and bathed them in a blue light. It was enchanting. She sighed and leaned closer to Zuko. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and buried his face in her silky hair.

Elyrie pulled away from his embrace and turned to look at him. He looked happier, more content. She smiled at him and he smiled back gratefully.

"I am going to bed" she said as she let go of his hand. Then she leaned over to give him a small kiss on his left cheek.

"Goodnight" she said with a smile that drowned out all the stars in the heavens. He only nodded at she he watched her go back inside.

He sighed and turned around, resting his hands on the railing. He did not know what had come over him when he pulled her closer, only that he wanted to hold on to her forever. He laid his hand against his cheek, the one she had kissed. He still felt her touch on his skin. It had been his scarred cheek. She had not evaded it or hesitated. She had kissed it as if it were nothing. He shook his head at the thoughts that filled his mind. She was his best friend, after all. He cared for her as a friend.

* * *

Iroh walked back to his rooms with a fond smile on his lips. He had watched from the window at the steering room, happy with what he saw. He had watched with a smile, seeing how comfortable his nephew was around the girl. He was glad to see his nephew slightly relaxing for a change.

He had heard Elyrie sing from his room and came out to look from the steering room. Iroh had listened to her voice, touched by the tones. Her voice was crystal clear and he smiled fondly at her. After she had finished, he brew himself a cup of tea. _No man can have a good night sleep without a bracing cup of tea_ , he chuckled to himself. He looked out of the window again after he had poured himself a cup and nearly spilled his tea. He had been surprised at the sight. Elyrie, her small frame wrapped in a shawl, had leaned back against Zuko's chest. Zuko had wrapped his arms around her and his head on her shoulder. Iroh smiled at the sight. He finished his tea and saw that the girl had left. Zuko was standing by himself, still looking at the ocean.

 _Maybe everything will turn out all right in the end_ , he mused. _After all, destiny is a funny thing._


	15. Quick Goodbye

When Elyrie laid down her head, she stared into the dark for a long time. She was confused, but content. The music night had been a great success and she had sung for the first time in years for a crowd. She grinned to herself in the dark. Zuko had attended as well, not being able to resist her call. She smiled her wicked smile, happy her little plan had worked as she wished. Now they can at least part as friends.

Her smile died on her lips. Zuko rarely opened up, he never did actually. He never liked to talk about his hardships, which she knew where many. This had been a special moment and she was glad he trusted her enough to do so. She remembered how he pulled her closer and how she had let him. For one moment, she felt sixteen again. Her life ahead of her, when she was old enough to have plans for the future but too young to have true responsibilities.

Zuko had been her best friend, even though she had attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and he was groomed for his duties as future Fire Lord. They always found time to see each other. He often visited her at home with her father. She had lived not far from the Royal Palace in the capital and he visited her as much as he could in his spare time. She always suspected it was his way of escaping from the rigorous protocols and attention at the court. She smiled at the memories of them, sitting in the library and discussing books. Of her and him at the piano, while she sang and he listened. At the dinner table, where they discussed politics with her father.

But that was a long time ago, she knew that. He was a banished prince and she was an engaged woman. She turned to her side and clutched her locket in her hand. Whatever happened a moment ago, it was not who she was anymore. Five years are a long time. They had known each other as children, but time kept moving on. He had become hard and bitter, focused on his mission to restore his honour. He was a good man, she knew it. Even if he insulted the captain, he had risked his own life to help the helmsman. He was a complicated man with a complicated life.

She sighed and closed her eyes. He did not need her to further to complicate things in his life. _It will be best for everyone if I leave tomorrow_ , she thought. _We need to get back to our normal life._

In his room, Zuko turned around. He twisted in his blankets, tangeling himself. He imagined Elyrie in her bed, a few doors away. Tomorrow she would be out of his life again.

He closed his eyes. He still felt her touch on his skin and smelled the scent of her thick auburn curls. He had been angry with her after what she had said about hunting the Avatar. She had been naïve and did not grasp the gravity of his situation. But then, she lured him out of his darkness with her voice. She had sung for him, he knew that.

He rolled over on his side, trying to clear his head. The girl he once knew had become a woman, an engaged one for that matter. But the way she talked to him, and comforted him, it was like nothing had changed. She always had been his safe heaven, especially after his mother had disappeared. Unlike most, she actually knew what he was going through. Her mother had died when she was ten years old. She had comforted him and been his confidante for years.

Again, he rolled over to his other side. He could not comprehend what had come over him tonight. She sang her mother's lullaby for him as she played the pipa, so sweet and so beautiful. She seemed so out of reach at that moment, so full of happiness and light.

And he, he had lived in darkness for a long time now. She again had been the small light that brightened up his life once he held her in his arms. She had fitted so well in his arms, as if she was made for him.

But whatever he wanted, it was secondary. He needed to capture the Avatar to restore his honour. That was the most important thing, all other things were secondary. She could not comprehend that his father had send him on this quest with a reason.

He rolled on his back, looking in the dark. Her arrival had further complicated his plans. _Maybe it is best if she leaves tomorrow_ , he mused. Back to her fiancé, back to Zhao. The thought made him tighten his jaw. But he shook his head. _I can't change a thing until my honour is restored,_ he decided.

* * *

Elyrie sighed as she stood in front of the mirror.

Her hair was pinned up again, out of her face. She wore the red dress with black trimmed lace Uncle had given to her. She looked at her reflection with a strange feeling. The woman who stared back at her from the mirror looked nothing like the girl she had been in the past few days. The woman had the same heartshaped face, the same blue eyes and same auburn curls. But the auburn curls were tied together, not dancing around her. The heartshaped face was serious and poised, not smiling with a blush on her cheeks. The blue eyes looked sad, not glittering with mischief and joy.

She shook her head and turned around to pick up the engagement ring from her nightstand. The gold felt cold in her palm and she let the ring rest there for a few seconds. Then she blinked and straightened her back.

 _Time to return to normal_ , she thought as she let the ring slip onto her left ring finger. It felt strange, almost as if the ring had become smaller. She felt the weight on her finger, like a foreign touch. She turned the ring a few times on her finger, trying to make it feel more comfortable. To no avail.

She heard a small knock on the door.

"Come in" she said as she straightened her dress. Zuko entered in his Fire Nation armour. _It does not suit him,_ Elyrie thought as she studied him. He had dark circles under his eyes, as if he had barely slept. His golden eyes looked dull when he looked at her.

"It is almost noon," he said somewhat harsh, "Time to go". She nodded and turned to pick up the small bundle of clothes. Uncle had gifted her the new clothing and she thankfully accepted it. _I can take a small piece with me_ , she thought to herself

Zuko waited as she finished packing her clothing. Her back was turned to him, but he saw her face in the reflection of the mirror. She looked older, with the red dress accentuating her slim figure and the curls pinned away from her face. She looked like a queen, poised and regal. But she did not look like the light-hearted girl he had become used to. The girl with the loose curls and mischievous look in her sapphire eyes.

She looked different now. Her dark hair was pinned up in a simple updo, which let her long neck free. Her alabaster skin contrasted with the dark burgundy colour of the dress. She pressed her pink lips together as she folded the last piece of clothing with a concentrated look. When she was finished, she met his eyes in the reflection. She arched her dark eyebrow and her piercing eyes met his gaze. She looked mature and elegant, like a noblewoman.

 _And so beautiful_ , he thought as he gazed at her.

She looked away from his gaze and turned around.

"I am ready" she simply said as she held the folded bundle of clothing in her arms. Zuko swallowed when he noticed the small scar on the side of her face again. When she wore her hair down, her curls covered the scar for the most part. But now, she did not attempt to hide it. He felt his chest constrict at the memory of her laying wounded in his arms. He shook his head to suppress the memories and motioned for her to proceed him. She walked out of the room without looking at him and made her way outside. He closed the door behind her.

Elyrie squeezed her eyes at the bright sunlight when she entered the deck. It was a beautiful day, without a cloud in the sky. A soft breeze caressed her face as her eyes adjusted to the light. She was surprised at the amount of people on deck. It seemed the whole crew had assembled to see her off. Uncle and Lieutenant Jee stood in front of the crowd, but she also noticed a tall man in Fire Nation armour. He was no part of the crew, but she recognized the kind brown eyes instantly.

"Kun" she said in a warm voice as she shielded her eyes from the sun to look at him, "I am glad to see you."

Kun took a step forward and made a respectful bow.

"Miss Elyrie, we are here to escort you" he said stiffly. She saw three other soldiers wearing Fire Nation armour standing next to the lowered ramp. Kun nodded to a soldier, who approached her to take over the bundle of clothes she held. She gave them with a grateful smile, but she did not fail to notice one person missing from the small group. Elyrie raised her eyebrows at Kun.

As if he could read her confusion, he quickly added: "Commander Zhao could not attend, as his duties prevented him."

Zuko clenched his fists to his side, fighting the urge to kick Zhao's men off the ship. _The arrogant bastard,_ he mentally cursed. He looked at Elyrie, who had raised her chin. Her face revealed nothing.

"I understand" she said in her beautiful voice, "He is an important man and must not be kept from his duties." Zuko did not miss the hint of sarcasm in her tone, but she hid it well. He doubted anyone noticed the tone. He looked at his Uncle, who pensively stroked his grey beard. _He heard it too_ , Zuko thought as he met his Uncle's eyes.

Elyrie walked towards Uncle and grasped his hands.

"I want to thank you for everything you have done for me" she said, holding back her tears. The old man smiled at her and pulled her into a hug.

"I want to thank you as well, for brightening our days with your presence." Despite herself, she felt a smile twist her lips. _He always knows just what to say_ , she thought.

"Thank you" she said as she let go of him. "Keep practicing" he said with a wink as he pinched her cheek softly in a fatherly manner.

She turned to Lieutenant Jee, who stood on the left side of Uncle. She bowed to him as she said "I want to thank you as well, captain, for being so kind to me".

Jee bowed in return and said, "it was a pleasure having you on my ship, Miss".

She looked over the crew who had gathered on deck. "I want to thank all of you for taking such good care of me these past few days" she said with a warm smile as she looked around.

The men nodded at her with smiles. "Just promise you'll sing for us another time!" someone in the back yelled. The men murmured in agreement.

"Next time, I will sing until your hearts break" she laughed as she slightly blushed.

Zuko silently shook his head. _Already broken_ , he thought.

Then, she turned around to look at him. She walked over in a graceful manner, slowly but certain. His golden eyes looked in the sapphire ones.

"And you," she said as she extended her hand, "I don't even know how to thank you for everything that you have done for me." He took her hand and pulled her closer as he embraced her. "I wouldn't be here without you" she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Zuko said nothing as he let his cheek rest against her head.

She pulled back far too soon for his liking. He did not let go of her as he studied her face, his eyes searching every detail. She did the same, trying to remember every detail. Just like the last time they were forced to say goodbye. When she looked away from his hypnotic gaze, he let go of her hands.

"Goodbye Lily" he whispered. Elyrie felt her tears pricking in her eyes as those words ripped her heart open for the second time.

Kun cleared his throat, which made Elyrie snap back into the present. She took a breath and released herself from Zuko's grip. She straightened her dress as she turned around with a neutral look on her face.

Iroh noticed the change in her face, as if a mask fell back into place. _Talented little actress,_ he thought as he watched her walk away . He looked over at his nephews face and saw that his emotions were shielded as well. Zuko's face betrayed nothing and his impassive look had returned.

"If you are ready, Miss?" Kun asked as he motioned to the lowered ramp. Elyrie looked over and saw a small carriage waiting. She tried to swallow the regret she felt building up in her chest and nodded. She knew she had to leave as soon as possible, otherwise her courage would desert her.

She refused Kun's extended arm and walked the ramp alone down to the waiting carriage. She bit her lip to keep her emotions in control. With every step down, she felt herself fiddle with her engagement ring more and more. Her hands were clasped in front of her as she continued to walk, but her hands seemed to reject the invasion of the ring. With her long nails, she kept ticking at the cold metal. _Snap out of it,_ she reprimanded herself. She continued to chew on her lower lip, but inhaled to calm her racing nerves. The walk seemed endless, but at last her feet touched the solid ground.

She turned around a last time to smile back at Zuko and Uncle, who where standing at the top of the plank. She waved at them before Kun opened the carriage door for her. After one last smile, she climbed in the carriage and sat down in the soft red pillows. She closed her eyes as she rested her head against the soft fabric. When she felt the carriage started to move, she finally let her tears flow freely.

Zuko watched the carriage ride away between the trees. He sighed as he continued to look at the spot where she last smiled at him. He heard her voice in his mind.

_Oh, won't you come with me?_

_Where the moon is made of gold_

He closed his eyes and pinched his bridge of his nose. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. She was gone now, so it was time for him to return back to his quest.

Lieutenant Jee approached him. "What are your orders, sir?" he asked tentatively. Zuko turned around and saw his entire crew looking at him.

"Why are you all still standing here?" he roared as he motioned towards the ocean. "We have lost enough time!". The crowd quickly scattered as the crewmen went back to their posts. Iroh approached his nephew and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Prince Zuko, are you sure you want to leave right now?" he asked. Zuko's eyes snapped to his Uncle. "Why would you ask such a stupid question?" he yelled as he pulled away from his Uncle's touch.

Iroh watched Zuko storm off. The softness Elyrie had brought out in him seemed to have dried up the moment she left the ship. Iroh sighed and stroked his beard pensively as his heart went out to his nephew.


	16. The Pohuai Stronghold

The ride to the Pohuai Stronghold took less then twenty minutes. Elyrie hoped her red eyes were not that visible after they arrived. She felt foolish for crying like that. She almost never let her emotions take the better of her, especially when it concerned herself. She sat up straight in the soft cushions of the carriage and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She checked her reflection in her locket, for as far she could, and when she was convinced she looked presentable, she leaned over to push the small curtain aside.

Kun was riding his komodo-rhino beside her. "How far is the Stronghold?" she asked. He motioned for her to look ahead.

"We are nearly there, Miss" he said while she turned her head and fixated her eyes on the enormous fort rising in the distance.

It was an impressive fortress, surrounded by multiple stone walls. She counted three walls, each one smaller than the first which circled around the centre of the stronghold. A large pagoda tower dominated the centre of the fortress with it's enormous height and red stones. The walls of the stronghold seemed to be 10 meters high, but the tower was at least three times as tall.

When they got closer, she noticed that the outer wall of the fortress was coated in a shiny substance. Furring her brow, she tried to guess what it was. The faint shimmer in the sun made it look like metal. _Of course,_ she thought, _Metal to protect the walls from earthbenders._ She had to admit she was impressed by the stronghold. Uncle had told her it was a major depot for the Fire Nation and one of the places firebenders were trained if they were to be deployed in the Earth Kingdom. But most important of all, the Pohuai Stronghold was home to the most elite archers in the world.

The Yuyan archers were famous for their skills and precision. It is said they could pin a fly to a tree from a hundred metre distance without killing it. Uncle told her that the archers are under the command of Colonel Shinu, with whom he had worked during the Siege of Ba Sing Se. The strategic position of the fortress meant that it directly supplied the front near Ba Sing Se. The archers were trained to be used as a secret weapon during battles, which gave the Fire Nation armies a huge advantage. As the commander of the Pohuai Stronghold, Colonel Shinu took special pride in his position, or so Uncle had informed her.

When the carriage reached the gate, Elyrie pulled her head back into the carriage. With a loud cracking noise, the metal doors opened for them. When the carriage came to a stop, she straightened her dress and tucked her loose strands of hair behind her ears. When the carriage door opened, she rose and took Kun's extended hand to help her out of it.

She looked around and smiled when she recognized Jin standing at the door, waiting for her. She immediately walked towards her with extended hands. She resisted the urge to embrace her maidservant, but her smile widened as she looked at her friend.

"I am so glad to see you" she said genuinely. Jin smiled back, happy to see her Lady in good health.

"So am I, Miss" she responded while making a small bow. She happily took her hands and studied Elyrie. She noticed the scar on her temple and her smile faltered a little, but she quickly retook herself.

"Commander Zhao instructed me to take care of you" she said with an apologetic smile. Elyrie frowned slightly but swiftly nodded. She did not expect Zhao to personally welcome her, not after the stunt he pulled on the harbour. _I must be fixed up first_ , she thought with an amused grin, _Can't risk embarrassing him with my unkept appearance._

Jin led her to the fourth floor of the Pagoda Tower, which housed the luxurious quarters for the Colonel and guests. Jin opened the second door, which revealed a beautiful room. It had a bed large enough for three people with at least a dozen pillows on it. On the left side of the bed stood a dressing table with a oval shaped mirror. On the right side of the bed was a tub, made completely out of marble. The floor was made of ebony, but a large burgundy carpet was placed over it in the center. A low table was placed in the center of the room, completely with a teapot and small treats.

The room was luxurious but what drew her attention were the double doors, which she opened immediately. It led to a balcony, from which she could view the centre of the fortress and the forest they had passed through on their way here. She saw the main entrance, the enormous metal doors. The forest stretched far, but she also noticed a small harbour next to the fortress where Zhao's ship was docked. Zhao probably did not want Zuko so close for some reason, so they had to dock at another harbour a few miles further. Her eyes drifted towards the sea and looked at the horizon. What she would give to be able to sail to that horizon right now.

Elyrie sighed and turned around.

"You can't imagine how much you had us worried, Miss" Jin said while she poured her tea. Elyrie sat down and thanked her as she took a sip when Jin extended the cup to her. She motioned for Jin to take a cup as well. Jin sat down, smiling. It was not customary for maidservants to drink tea with their ladies, but she knew Elyrie appreciated her company. Moreover, Elyrie had insisted to join her the first time she had served it. Jin had been surprised and cautious, but the girl seemed genuine. So they had grown closer over the past months and Jin truly came to see her lady as a friend.

Jin sipped her tea when she heard the whole story. Elyrie had been dying to tell the whole story to someone and who better than Jin. She told about the Temple, the accident and how Zuko and Iroh had taken care of her. She absentmindedly touched the scar on the side of her face while she told about how the Temple came down. Jin's mouth fell open when she heard Avatar Roku had appeared. She had heard from the soldiers that the Avatar brought down the temple, but she assumed they had been too shocked to think rationaly.

"Avatar Roku?" Jin repeated again with her eyebrows raised.

"Yes, I wouldn't believe it myself if I had not seen him with my own eyes." Elyrie answered as she put down her empty cup. "It made me realise that Zhao is toying with things he cannot understand" she continued as she remembered the force Avatar Roku showed when he took down the soldiers present.

"And what happened here after the whole ordeal?" Elyrie asked while she poured herself another cup of tea. For some reason, she was hesitant to discuss how she and Zuko had interacted on his ship. Jin put down her cup and picked up a biscuit.

"The ship returned, but when Kun and I asked for you, nobody knew anything." Jin said. She remembered when the smaller ship had returned and Zhao and the soldiers had disembarked. There had been no sign of Elyrie, but no one seemed to notice it. "Commander Zhao was furious, as he had assumed one of the soldiers had escorted you back to the ship." She quickly added when she saw the look in the eyes of her lady.

"Really?" Elyrie said pensively as she nibbled on a biscuit. _It took him a few hours to notice I was gone_ , she thought darkly. Something inside her snapped at that moment. She had never made illusions that he loved her, or particularly cared for her, but this was something else. _The whole damn temple came down and he only cared for himself_ , she thought as she dug her nails into her palm. _No more,_ she silently vowed.

Jin said nothing as she saw Elyrie's face harden. She wanted to say something to comfort her, but Elyrie's face seemed to relax again.

"Okay, now let's make me look more presentable" Elyrie joked as she stood up. Jin laughed and rose to fill the bath.

"A warm bath would do you good, Miss" she said as she picked up the vanilla scented soaps. Elyrie simply laughed as she started to undress herself.

* * *

A few hours later, it was time for dinner. Elyrie looked in the mirror and was again amazed at Jin's skill. Her hair looked better than ever, with her curls beautifully pinned up in an elegant updo which let free a few strands on the sides of her face. In her neck, one ringlet was loose and hung over her pale shoulders. Jin finished decorating her hair with a few red stones, which complimented her bright red dress. Jin put on a little bit of lipstain to darken Elyrie's lips and a bit of kohl around her eyes, which made the blue stand out more.

Elyrie looked at her face in the mirror and felt a numb pain in her chest. Gone was the girl with the loose curls and rosy cheeks. The woman who looked back at her was every bit a noblewoman. She absentmindedly played with her little finger as she remembered the past few days. She already missed Zuko and Uncle, she had to admit it. She missed Uncle's tea, she missed Zuko's smile, she missed singing to her hearts content. She missed the freedom to be herself.

"It is time, Miss" Jin said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"I'll be ready in just a few minutes." Elyrie answered as she stood up. Jin nodded and discreetly left the room. She felt her lady needed to be alone for a moment.

When Jin had closed the door behind her, Elyrie turned around and opened the balcony doors. The forest was illuminated by the soft orange light of the setting sun. She placed her hands on the marble railing and inhaled the fresh air. She missed the salty sea breeze. She deeply breathed in and out. Then, she lit up her palm and shoot a fireblast into the sky. The familiar warmth spread through her hands as she released the fire into the air. When the fire had extinguished, she smiled with a wicked look in her eyes.

"I am glad to see you are in good health. The scar is barely noticeable" Zhao said when Elyrie entered the dining room.

 _Which means he is glad I returned without any actual deformities which would bring him complications upon marrying me_ , she thought wryly. However, she walked over to him with a smile and extended her hand. He took it and placed a light kiss on it.

"I am so happy to be back." she said in a regal tone. Zhao looked appreciative of her. She had always been a beautiful woman, but now she seemed to radiate new confidence. He liked it. She elegantly pulled her hand back and turned to face the colonel.

"Colonel Shinu, it is an honour to meet you" she said as she bowed to the older man, "I have heard much about your Stronghold, but I have to say that the tales do not do it justice" she added as she smiled charmingly.

The Colonel looked appreciative of her compliments and smiled at the young woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Please, sit down" he said as he pulled a chair back for her. She took place at the table, between the Colonel and Zhao. She mainly talked to the Colonel during the meal, whom she found a charming conversationalist. Zhao was preoccupied with another General on his other side, who visited the Stronghold to select new recruits.

While she diplomatically talked about Zhao's accomplishments, the Colonel observed the young woman. He had heard Zhao's fiancée was younger than he was, but he was surprised at how much younger. The girl looked barely older than twenty years old, but she radiated a confidence which made her appear older. Moreover, he was sure she was well educated based on her choice of words and her manner of speaking. Her education gave her that poise and finish that made her so charming to men and women of mature and brilliant intellect.

"May I ask," he said as he put his chopsticks down, "What do you like to do for your own amusement?" Elyrie raised her eyebrows but was pleasantly surprised at the Colonel's interest.

"I am very fond of literature and music" she answered truthfully as she took another sip of her wine.

"Music? How interesting" he answered with a smile, "I play the harpsichord myself." he added while following her example and picked up his wineglass. She looked at him expectantly so he continued to tell her about his lessons. "I still like to practice everyday" he admitted, "So I have one in my private quarters."

"How lucky you are." She said as she smiled at him.

"Do you play the harpsicord?" he asked in return as the last course of the meal was served. It was a delicious dessert, made of sweet sticky rice with mango and caramelized hazelnuts.

"I can play the piano" she answered, "I have had lessons since I was five years old."

"You are very welcome to play on my harpsicord when you stay here." he offered with a smile. It had been a long time since he had discussed music with another person in the fortress.

She looked at him with a thankful smile as she said "Thank you. General Iroh told me you were a very talented musician."

"Ah yes, I heard you stayed with the Dragon of the West these past days." The Colonel answered as he dug his spoon in his dessert.

"Yes, I was. He is such a kind man." She answered as she pushed her sticky rice around her plate. She did not know what Zhao had told the Colonel, so it seemed safer not to reveal too much.

"I heard he brought you back after a storm had separated you from the Commander?" the colonel asked with a questioning look.

She simply nodded, but turned to her fiancé on her right.

"I am sure you already sent a note expressing your gratitude to General Iroh?" Elyrie asked with an innocent look as she placed her hand on Zhao's arm. While she looked innocent, the tone of her voice expressed a different message. The Colonel looked at her with an amused grin. They formed an interesting contrast, with her beauty and calm demeanour smoothing the way of the coarseness of her fiancé.

"Of course, I shall arrange it right away" Zhao answered quickly as he motioned for a servant. Elyrie bit on her lip, irritated at his arrogance. When they had finished the meal, she thanked the servant who picked up her plate. Zhao was, of course, far too important for that.

* * *

Elyrie leaned over the stone railing of the outer watchtower to observe the archers below. Colonel Shinu had offered to show her the skills of his famed archers, which did not disappoint. Their precision was legendary. She saw one archer hit the bullseye and then split the first arrow with another, and then another one. The next archer hit the bullseye of three different targets with three arrows at the same time. Her mouth fell open at this extraordinary display of skills.

She turned around when she heard Zhao discuss the archers with the Colonel.

"Absolutely not." Colonel Shinu said decisively, "The Yuyan archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao." Elyrie was not surprised at his response. The Yuyan archers seemed to be the pride of the colonel, so it was not difficult to understand why he refused to lend them out.

"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider," Zhao pleaded as he turned to the colonel, "Their precision is legendary. You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."

Elyrie cringed. _If you want to persuade him, you better not insult him_ , she thought with a mental shake of her head. Diplomacy had never been Zhao's strongest side however.

As expected, the colonel turned his head at Zhao and responded with an angry glare, "I can do whatever I want with their talents. They're my archers, and what I say goes".

"But my search for the Avatar- " Zhao began, but he was quickly interrupted, " - Is nothing but a vanity project" the colonel said to Zhao with disdain in his voice. Elyrie raised her eyebrows. She liked the colonel and she had never heard anyone bark orders at Zhao before, which she appreciated. She felt her lips twitch, but dug her nails into her palm to prevent herself from laughing.

"We are fighting a real war here and I need every man I've got, Commander" Colonel Shinu said as clearly he emphasized Zhao's rank. _Zhao may be a Commander, but he still has to answer to a Colonel,_ Elyrie thought as she watched the two man.

"But.." Zhao tried, but the Colonel had enough. "And that's final!" he interrupted again, "I don't want to hear another word about it." He added as he walked over to Elyrie, who quickly turned around. She saw Zhao's face darken and she knew he would not let this insult pass. Even if the Colonel outranked him, he would find a way to make him pay for this.

And as if the universe heard the outburst, a hawk appeared. Elyrie walked over and automatically extended her arm for the hawk to land on. The hawk wore a leather suit with a small note, which she took out of the cylinder and handed to the Colonel.

"News from Fire Lord Ozai" she said as she recognized the Royal Insignia. She petted the hawk on his head as she watched the Colonel unfold the message. His face quickly changed colour and his eyes widened when he read the note. Zhao walked over and took the note from the Colonel. Elyrie saw his smug grow as he read the message as well. _Must be good news,_ she thought as she let the hawk nibble softly on a treat.

"It appears I've been promoted to Admiral" Zhao said arrogantly, "My request is now an order." Elyrie widened her eyes. Colonel Shinu quickly bowed and made his way down to the archers to give them their new orders.

Elyrie was stunned. This was unbelievable. _How much luck does one man need_ , she thought with a clenched fist. Outwardly, she smiled broadly and took his arm. Zhao was again surprised at her newfound confidence.

"Congratulations Admiral" she said with an enchanting smile. He grinned at her as he placed his hand on her hand. She repressed the urge to pull back her hand.

"And this is only the beginning" he assured her with a smug look.

Elyrie smiled at him, but at the same moment felt a sense of uneasiness come over her. Because of what he said, which sent shivers down her spine. She dreaded to learn what came after the beginning. But she also felt watched. Her sapphire eyes searched across the yard and up the sides of the fortress, but did not find anything out of the ordinary. The feeling persisted and she was certain she felt eyes on her back.

She let go of Zhao's arm. "I am going to bed" she said as she quickly turned around to look behind her.

"Of course" he responded while continuing to look at the archers.

Elyrie took a last look around the watchtower and shook her head. _I must be tired_ , she shrugged as she descended down the stairs.

But barely a few metres above her, a masked figure tried to steady his racing heart.


	17. The Blue Spirit

Rays of sunshine broke through the grey clouds and entered the cabin of a small Fire Nation vessel. Zuko leaned on the table on which a map of the Earth Kingdom was placed. He followed the captain's finger as he demonstrated their route. They had left the Phan Hue Harbour, but still roamed the coast near the Pohuai Stronghold as they tried to find any clues regarding the whereabouts of the Avatar.

"We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm," Captain Jee said while trailing his fingers over the map. Zuko pinched his nose as he tried to clear his head. The loss of sleep last night had taken it's toll on him. Insomnia had plagued him for the longest time, but the unrest of the unfolding events added insult to injury.

"But if we continue heading northeast-" Jee continued, before he stopped himself. While he was pointing in the direction of the North Pole, a large ship pulled over next to theirs. A shadow was cast over the map, which made Zuko look up. Instead of seeing the endless blue ocean with the rising sun out of the captain's window, he saw the distinctive metal plates. The plates used on Fire Nation ships.

Zuko let out an irritated groan. "What do they want?" he growled under his breath, fairly sure the ship belonged to Zhao's fleet. He was in no mood for Zhao and his animosities.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho?" Iroh said enthusiastically while rubbing his hands together. As his nephew was busy worrying about the Avatar, he had played Pai Sho with a few crewmembers in the same cabin. Zuko had refused to participate, but it had not stopped him from playing.

After a few minutes, the four soldiers from the other ship walked into the cabin. Without saying as much as a greeting, the first soldier rolled out a piece of parchment. Zuko recognized the wanted poster for the Avatar. He had seen many of them since it had been common knowledge that the Avatar was alive.

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao." The soldier said in a pompous voice while looking at Zuko.

"Zhao has been promoted?" Iroh said while moving the stones around the board, "Well, good for him!" As he made his move, the engineer slapped his hand against his own forehead. Iroh chuckled. _When do people finally learn Pai Sho is more than a mere game_ , he mused to himself as he waited for his opponent to make a move.

As he looked over, he noticed that Zuko did not react to the news of Zhao's promotion. "I have nothing to report to Zhao" Zuko said in a hateful tone while looking away from the soldiers, "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area –"The first soldier tried again, before he was cut off mid-sentence by Zuko. "Get off my ship!" he yelled as he finally lost his temper.

Their arrogant attitudes disappeared quickly. The soldiers did not dare challenge the banished Prince, not after the Agni Kai with the Admiral. Without saying another word, they quickly made their way to their own ship.

"Excellent!" Zuko heard his Uncle say after the soldiers had left. He turned around as saw a happy smile on his Uncle's face. "I take the pot!" Iroh happily exclaimed as he pulled the mountain of chips to him. "But you are all improving!" he added as he started counting the chips, "I'm certain you will win if we play again."

 _Had he missed the entire conversation?_ Zuko fumed as he walked out of the cabin without saying another word. Furious, Zuko stamped onto the deck and tore off his armour. In his tunic, he blasted flames into the sky, kicking with a ferocity that was able to burn the Admiral to a pile of ashes had he been nearby. Firebending took a lot of energy, but Zuko was too furious to calm down.

After more than an hour, he still was blasting flames high into the blue sky.

"Is everything okay?" he heard the voice of his Uncle behind him, "It's been almost an hour and you still have not given the men an order." Iroh looked at his nephew, who was out of breath. He had been up here for more than an hour, which surprised him. With the news of Zhao's promotion, he had expected his nephew to set course right away.

"I don't care what they do!" Zuko yelled, his back turned to the older man while aiming another flaming fist at the sky. Iroh approached his nephew. He had known him all his life and he knew about his fiery temper. Yet this was one more ferocious than any other he had ever seen.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao." he said, trying to reassure him. But when Zuko turned around, Iroh felt his chest ached. He could read the desperation, fear and pain in his eyes when Zuko turned around, finally facing his Uncle

"How Uncle?" he yelled, his voice filled with despair. "With Zhao's resources, it is just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar."

Zuko turned back to watch the sun over the sea. "My honour, my throne, my country" he whispered, almost to himself. "I'm about to lose them all"

He stared over the ocean, his mind racing. Zhao promoted to Admiral, all the Fire Nations resources available to him and the hunt for the Avatar has prime importance. Soon, Zhao would capture the Avatar and claim all the glory and honour that comes with it. Everything Zuko had worked for those long years, given at that unimaginable bastard in a whim. _Honour, glory, Elyrie_ , Zuko repeated in his mind and felt his heart ache at the thought of Zhao's bride-to-be.

Sneaking into the Stronghold had been easy, but seeing her was harder. He had to know what Zhao planned to do with the Yuyan archers, as Elyrie had hinted on the ship. The famed archers are valuable to capture a bender which was lighter than air. In an effort to find out Zhao's plans, Zuko had disguised himself and sneaked into the fortress.

He had been listening when the promotion was announced, inwardly cursing at the Admiral. But the girl next to him was what truly made him angry at Zhao. The girl who left in the morning, was a different girl who he saw that night at the watchtower. Her face seemed like a mask and her movements were calculated. And her voice was formal and regal. Not the sweet voice that sang lullabies. She had switched back into her role as a noblewoman with ease.

Nobody had noticed him, but she did. She had sensed someone staring and had been looking for the source. He cursed himself for his foolishness. He had lingered too long, wanting to see her for a few minutes more before he returned to his ship. Wanting to see her sapphire eyes, to make sure she was alright.

 _And now, her fiancé is about to become the most famed man in the Fire Nation_ , he thought between gritted teeth. In his anger and desperation, a plan began to take form in his mind.

* * *

Zhao had wasted no time in preparing for his hunt for the Avatar. Mere minutes after he had been promoted, he had send scouts and archers through the parts in which the skybison was last spotted. And after that, he had celebrated the whole night. Elyrie was informed of all this in the morning in her own room by Jin, who had trouble sleeping because of the loud cheers from the celebrating soldiers.

"Jin, please, you need to sleep." Elyrie said when she saw her friend with shaking hands pouring her tea. "No Miss, I need to help you get ready for-" Jin began before a yawn interrupted her, as if to prove Elyrie's point.

Elyrie chuckled and gently instructed her to take a nap here, since there were no obligations or visits today. "I have a day off, so you should get one too" she ordered gently to her maidservant, "My room is quiet and no one will disturb you."

Jin only protested a little, but gave in after a few weak attempts. Elyrie smiled when she heard the soft snoring after a few minutes. Making herself comfortable, she curled up in one of the large chairs in her room. With the open balcony doors, she could see the sun starting to climb as the day began. It was unusually quiet in the Stronghold, no doubt the result of the grand party from the previous night. Elyrie grinned at the peaceful morning as she opened her book and began to read.

Hours passed in this way, with Jin sleeping and her reading. Around noon, Elyrie looked up from her book. With a loud noise, she heard the large metal gates of the Stronghold open and close for a single rider. Wiping her hair out of her face, she closed her book and walked to the balcony. Leaning over the railing, she followed the rider with her eyes. _It must be important_ , she thought as she saw the man race towards the Pagoda Tower.

The commotion also had woken Jin up, who came to stand beside her lady. "What could be the problem?" she asked Elyrie as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"No idea" Elyrie answered as she saw the messenger disappear into the Pagoda Tower. Then, she turned around and smiled to Jin. "Hungry?" she asked with a mischievous wink.

They did not have to wait long for the news. Barely a half hour later, the two women ate their lunch in peace when Kun came knocking at her door.

"I am sorry to disturb your lunch, Miss, but I have important news. I am here to inform you that the Avatar was captured and on it's way to the Stronghold" he said, slightly out of breath. The Admiral had ordered him to inform his fiancée straight away, so she could prepare herself.

Elyrie's eyebrows shot up so high at the news, she was sure they disappeared into her hairline. _Already?_ She mentally groaned. _You have to be kidding me._ Zhao had not even left his bedroom this morning, sleeping off the alcohol and yet the Avatar was brought to him on a silver platter with all honour an glory that came with it.

Outwardly, she forced a bright smile and informed Kun of her happiness and content at the news. Jin quickly began to change her into more formal dresses and styled her hair into a traditional Fire Nation topknot. It was a good thing Jin worked fast, since less than an hour later, another soldier informed her that Zhao requested her attendance at the upper level of the Tower.

Elyrie briefly looked at herself in the mirror before she left her room. Her hair was styled like Fire Lady Ursa used to do, with a small topknot and the remainder of her hair down. She sighed and followed the soldier as she was escorted to the top level of the Pagoda Tower, where they kept the Avatar prisoner.

When she arrived, she saw four soldiers guarding the metal doors. Zhao was waiting at the door with a smug smile on his face. Before Elyrie could say anything, he said "I told you it was only a matter of time."

For the second time today, she forced a smile and bowed her head in respect. "Indeed you did" was all she managed to come up with as she saw the soldiers part for the Admiral. The metal door swung open and Zhao smugly entered the room, his every step filled with the arrogance befitting a bully.

Elyrie followed silently, both curious and guilty. Curious because she had never seen the Avatar up close, only glances and far away. She wanted to see him so badly. But her guilt got the upper hand when she looked inside the room. And what she saw, broke her heart. The Avatar, who must be around seventeen years old, had his bald head bowed with the signature blue arrow contrasting against his pale skin. He was chained on his wrists and ankles. His grey eyes were filled with raged when he looked at the Admiral and he struggled against the chains.

"So this is the great Avatar. Master of all the elements" Zhao said as he approached the chained boy, his voice full of arrogance, "I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years but your little game of hide and seek is over." He circled the Avatar, as if to size him up.

"I've never hidden from you!" the Avatar responded angry as his eyes followed the Fire Nation Admiral, "Untie me and I'll fight you right now!"

Elyrie was impressed with his courage. Even in this hopeless situation, he had the spirit to fight and protest.

Zhao turned back to face the Avatar. "Uhh, no." was his simple response. Then, he bowed forward and held his face a few centimetres form the Avatar's.

"Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left? Do you miss your people?" he asked in a cruel tone. Elyrie felt nauseous as she saw the enjoyment on his face. _Unimaginable bastard_ , she mentally cursed. But again, on the outside she kept her hands clasped together and her back straight, her face revealing no emotions.

"Don't worry, you won't be killed like they were" Zhao continued in the same sadistic manner, "See, if you die you will just be reborn and the Fire Nation would have to start searching all over again. So I'll keep you alive, but barely…" he finished with an ominous voice.

But what he did underestimate, was the willpower of the Avatar. The boy inhaled and blew out with such force that Zhao was knocked over. Like a doll, Zhao was thrown to the floor of the cell. Angered and humiliated, he tried to stand up with as much dignity as he could manage. Elyrie bit her bottomlip until she tasted blood in an attempt to hide the smile.

"Blow all the wind you want, but your situation is futile." Zhao spat at him in an angry tone, "There is no escaping this fortress and no one is coming to rescue you." And with those words, he stormed out of the cell.

Elyrie followed him, but looked over her shoulder to the lonely figure, chained and alone as the doors slammed shut . She felt her chest constrict at the thought what Fire Lord Ozai would do to him when he was to be his prisoner. And Zhao was right, escaping from the Stronghold was nearly impossible. _There has to be a way to help him_ , she mused. She knew Zhao's favourite form of torture was deprival of food. He would nearly starve the boy in the hope of weakening his immense power.

When she walked back to her room alone, a plan began to form in her mind. Her dresses were large enough to smuggle food into the cell. Nobody would suspect the demure fiancée of the Admiral to be the one rebelling against the strict orders. She grinned, thanking the gods that she was finally able to reap the fruits of her patience and timid façade.

* * *

"I wish to see the Avatar" she said in a commanding voice while holding a plate with a piece of moldy bread on it. The guards looked at each other in confusion.

"But my Lady, Admiral Zhao -," the first one began, but she interrupted him quickly. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to give me your names, so I can talk to the Admiral about you" she said with a raised eyebrow. Her words did not miss their intended effect. The guards quickly straightened themselves and opened the heavy metal door for her. Without giving them another look, she entered and waited until the door had closed behind her.

The Avatar was chained, his clothes torn and burned. He looked weak and hungry. She carefully approached him and he lifted his head, defensively.

"Please," she began, "Don't be afraid." She placed the plate on the floor and lifted her hands to show him she meant him no harm. Nevertheless, he looked cautiously at her. "I brought some food for you" she added while switching to the Air Nomad language.

Aangs eyes snapped open and looked at the young woman in front of him. He was sure he misheard her. "You can speak my language?" he asked in return, also switching to the Air Nomad language.

Elyrie nodded hesitantly. "I studied it for a few years. It is a great honour to meet you, Avatar." she said as she bowed before him. She spoke with a slight stutter, as if it had been a long time since she had practiced it.

As if he had not been surprised enough, he saw the girl pushing the plate aside and reaching for something inside the flowing fabric of her dress. His eyes widened when she revealed a small basket, filled with apples, bread and a waterskin.

"I am sorry this has happened to you." She said as she reached for her basket. She took out a shiny green apple, cut in pieces. "I thought you might be hungry" she added. Aang nodded dumbfounded and she waited. "May I approach?" she asked again. He nodded again and she made her way towards him.

She gently fed him the apple slices and gave him sips of water. She also broke pieces of bread and gave it to him. Aang ate as much as he could, for only now did he notice how hungry he was. He studied her as she broke pieces of bread. She was young, only a few years older than he was, he estimated. She had very delicate hands with long nails, and long, soft curling auburn hair. She reminded him of Katara in a way. Her motherly concern and compassion was something she shared with the waterbender. Even their eyes looked alike, although Katara's eyes were a lighter shade of blue. The girl's eyes were darker, almost like sapphires.

"You are very kind" he said after he had finished the food. He meant it. When he was captured, the last thing he expected in a Fire Nation fortress was kindness. It made his heart soften a little bit. She smiled at him. She had a lovely smile, he noticed.

"Thank you. My name is Elyrie." The girl introduced herself. "I am Aang" he replied.

Elyrie noticed he had kind grey eyes, the signature colour of the Air Nomads. She was glad he had introduced himself. With a name, he became more human to her instead of the vision she had held the past weeks. He was, after all, just a boy trying to do what was best.

"I wish I could do more for you." She said sadly as she wiped the last crumbs of her sleeves. She had barely finished her sentence when a loud call echoed through the entire Stronghold. Elyrie knew what it meant.

"I'm sorry, but I need to go. It is time for dinner" she said in an apologetic tone. Zhao had ordered her to look her best at dinner and stand beside him as he gave his grand speech this evening. Elyrie had bit her lip at his commanding tone but obliged nonetheless.

"What is your connection to Zhao?" Aang asked curiously, unable to place the girl into this Stronghold. She was certainly no soldier, but maybe she was Zhao's younger sister or niece. Even though they lacked family resemblance, it was not impossible.

Elyrie twisted her engagement ring a few times before she answered. "I am his fiancée"

"You are Zhao's fiancée?" Aang repeated, his voice getting higher. He had assumed she was some niece, maybe even a daughter since the age difference was so obvious. "How can a man as cruel as him be engaged to you?"

She shrugged. "Fire Nation tradition" she replied simply, her face remaining impassive. "But I really need to go. I promise I'll be back soon!"

* * *

After dinner, Elyrie had a few moments for herself. She knew just what to do with them. She hummed as she walked through the corridor. The sound echoed off the walls, which gave a wonderful acoustic effect. She had requested a dress with large sleeves, so she could smuggle more food from dinner into the cell. She had picked up a few extra cookies and bread as well, which she hoped would be enough. Her long dress hindered her in her walk, but she knew it was necessary. Zhao planned to make a grand speech, declaring the victory of the Fire Nation by capturing the Avatar. _And his blushing bride-to-be just has to be present_ , she thought. She rather stayed in her room, but some things are just inevitable.

When she reached the upper level of the Tower, a load croak echoed through the corridor. Elyrie raised her eyebrows as three half frozen frogs made their way towards her. "What the…" she began when she heard a yell.

"My frogs! Come back!" she heard the voice yell. "My friends need to suck on those frogs!"

 _What the hell is happening here?_ She thought as she made her way towards the sound. She did not know what she expected to see, but it was certainly not this.

A mysterious figure was all dressed in black, except for a blue mask. She had seen that mask before. It was used for the blue dragon in the play Love Amongst the Dragons. She had seen the play almost every year at Ember Island with Zuko and his mother. Fire Lady Ursa loved it, she remembered, even though the Ember Island players were not the best actors in the world.

She lit up her hands, feeling the warmth spread through her hands. The figure stood a few metres away and did not move once he noticed her presence. She took her fighting stance, waiting. She saw Aang behind him suck in his breath. Then, the figure drew his two curved swords and slowly moved forward.

"Please, she helped me. Don't hurt her." Aang pleaded behind the masked figure. Elyrie met his grey eyes. Then, she looked back at the masked stranger. The masked figure did not respond as he moved closer to Elyrie. Elyrie did not move and looked defiantly at the masked man. Again, she lit her fingers on fire, ready to fight if he as much lay a hand on her.

They stood there in silence as Elyrie observed the odd situation. She watched the pair and it was clear the masked figure was helping the Avatar to escape. She scanned her surroundings and saw no guards. Nobody knew she was here and nobody knew the Avatar was out of his cell, otherwise the alarm must have sounded.

Zhao was about to give his grand speech a few floor beneath them. The only reason she was here, was to bring Aang some more water and food. All the soldiers were present at the speech, except the ones guarding the Avatar. She made a decision in a split second

Zuko felt his heart race as he saw Elyrie standing there, blocking their way. He did not want to hurt her, but he had to get the Avatar out. Her blue eyes looked determined and he feared he would have to fight her to make his way outside. _Please,_ he mentally pleaded, _step aside._

Then, as if she could read his mind, she pointed with her slender fingers to the left, to the nearest exit. She took a step back as they passed. "The south side of the fortress is the least guarded. The Admiral is giving a speech in a few minutes" she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Aang mouted a quick "Thank you" to her and she saw the gratitude in his eyes. The masked figure did not look back and she watched the pair disappear into the dark corridor.

 _Now, let's hear that speech,_ she thought with a grin as she made her way down to the grand balcony.


	18. Lingering Thoughts

"Hold your fire. The Avatar needs to be captured alive!" Zhao roared.

Elyrie ran up behind the Admiral, still trying to grasp what she had seen in the last few minutes. Zhao had given his speech with a lot of grandeur, talking about fire being the superior element and burning down the city of Ba Sing Se. And that with the return of Sozin's comet, the Fire Nation will win the war once and for all now that the Avatar had been captured.

But Zhao had noticed the disappearance of Aang far sooner than she had expected and the alarm had sounded. What followed, was the most miraculous attempt to escape she ever witnessed. The masked figure turned out to be a master swordsman, who could easily overpower several guards at once. And Aang was the Avatar, whose bending blew away the other half of the guards. _Literally blew away_ , she thought amazed. She had never witnessed someone using airbending, but what the Avatar had displayed was everything she ever imagined and more. He could fly, he floated through the air and blasted every soldier away with ease.

She wondered if the masked figure and the Avatar knew each other, since they worked together as if they had never done anything else. Moreover, Aang had refused to escape without his rescuer when the opportunity presented itself.

And as a result, the pair now stood surrounded by a dozen soldiers and Zhao in front of them. Elyrie had followed silently the entire time, not wanting to miss anything. But now, all hope to escape seemed lost. But after Zhao's order, the masked figure quickly came up behind Aang and placed his swords in front of his throat. Elyrie's breath hitched when she saw this. But then she understood. _With Aang as his hostage, they can escape_ , she thought.

Zhao came to same conclusion next to her. The Avatar was far too valuable to lose, even if this stranger held him hostage.

"Open the gates" he ordered through gritted teeth. Colonel Shinu, who was present the entire time too, looked at the Admiral in surprise.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" he asked confused. Zhao ignored him and repeated his order. "Let them out. Now!"

The gates opened behind the pair and the masked figure urged the Avatar backwards. Elyrie studied the retreating figure, as her mind raced to figure out his motivations _. He plays a dangerous game, all or nothing_ , she mused. She was not sure who the masked figure was, but she got a gut feeling he was not a bad person. Even more strange, she had the feeling she knew him

As the figure retreated, he kept his swords up. _Dual broadswords,_ she suddenly realized. Her heart started to pound. _He could not be that reckless,_ she tried to convince herself. But she remembered the swords on the wall of his room. _He told me he still practices with them_ , she thought while biting her nails, _Oh gods no._

"How could you let them go?" Colonel Shinu asked. Elyrie looked at the Admiral, wondering what he would answer.

"A situation like this requires _precision_ " Zhao simply answered, emphasizing the last word. Elyrie suddenly understood. Of course he would use the archers to take out the masked figure, she finally understood. She quickly followed the two men as they made their away to the watchtower on the walls of the Fortress.

"Admiral," she began as they reached the outer watchtower, "Maybe the Fire Lord is interested in this Fire Nation enemy as well?" If she could convince Zhao not to kill the masked figure, the pair still had a chance to escape.

Zhao raised his eyebrows at his young fiancée. "Maybe..." he said while stroking his chin as he watched the leader of the Yuyan archers take position

Elyrie looked over the walls and saw the pair still walking backwards. As her eyes tried to focus, she saw that masked figure still held his dual swords against the Avatar's throat. The leader of the Yuyan archers prepared his shot and strung an arrow on his bow as he looked at his target.

"Do you have a clear shot?" Zhao asked. The archer remained silent, but aimed in response. Elyrie bit her carefully manicured nails one by one, but could not care less.

"Knock out the thief. I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar." Zhao ordered as he placed his hands on the stones in front of him.

Elyrie was sure they could hear her heart pound through her chest. _Zuko, if it is you and you survive this, I am personally going to kill you myself,_ she mentally damned him.

The archer released his arrow and for a moment, Elyrie's heart stopped. Then she ran to the railing and saw the masked figure collapse backwards, releasing Aang as he dropped the swords. Aang recovered quickly and used his airbending to draw up a huge cloud of dust around himself and the masked figure, shielding them for her view.

"Quick! Recover the Avatar!" Zhao yelled next to Elyrie. Elyrie saw the soldiers approach the cloud, but when the dust cleared, they were gone.

Trembling, Elyrie let out a sigh of relief as she threw her head in her neck. When she turned to look at the Admiral, she felt a shiver. She was not afraid of him, but the look of intense anger on his face was terrifying.

And as if the universe tried to get back at him for his earlier luck, a thawed frog croaked in front of him before it jumped off the wall to freedom.

* * *

Zuko woke up with a terrible headache. With a lot of effort, he opened his eyes and saw different shades of green. He blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision. When he turned his head, he saw a person sitting on a tree root beside him.

The person was bald and wore an orange and yellow tunic. Zuko had to blink a few times before his bruised head registered who the person was. The Avatar sat a few metres away from him, with his knees against his chest as his chin rested on his folded arms.

"You know what the worst part of being born over a hundred years ago is?" the Avatar asked him, while staring into the woods, "I miss all the friends I used to hang out with." His voice was sad and melancholic. Zuko had never heard him speak like this before, as if they were old friends.

"Before the war started," The Avatar continued without waiting for a response, "I used to always visit my friend Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of my best friends I ever had" Zuko saw that his lips formed a smile when he thought about his past.

"And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you" The Avatar added while he turned to look at Zuko. "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends, too?" the boy asked him with a tentative smile.

The thick fog in Zuko's head cleared and he reacted instinctively. He let loose a huge fireball in the direction of the Avatar, who evaded it with ease. Zuko watched him disappear as he hopped from tree branch to tree branch until he was out of sight.

* * *

"Suck on these. They'll make you feel better" Aang said in a tired tone as he gave Katara and Sokka the frozen frogs. Then, he collapsed backwords on Appa's tail with a sigh. This day had been more exciting than he had asked for. His clothes were torn, he was tired and he felt sad. _At least my friend will get better now,_ Aang thought as he stifled a yawn.

"Aang, how was your trip?" Sokka asked, trying to hold onto the frozen frog in his mouth. "Did you make any new friends?" It was clear the Water Tribe warrior had not noticed how tired his friend looked due to his fever. And for this, Aang was glad. Katara did not say a word as she sucked on her own frog.

"No, I don't think I did" Aang answered in a tired voice. Zuko had tried to free him, but attacked him when the moment was there. _So much for a new friend._ But when he rolled over, he remembered Elyrie and her kindness. She was Fire Nation and a good person, like Kuzon had been.

 _Perhaps I did make a new friend_ , he mused before the sleep took over him

* * *

Zuko lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

When he saw the Avatar disappear in the trees, he had felt a sense of guilt coming over him. He felt confused and guilty, unable to understand why. The Avatar spoke to him like they were friends, offering him kindness. He had never considered the possibility to be friends with the Avatar. To him, he was a mere necessity to capture so his honour could be properly restored. He had never thought about the boy himself or what he was like.

Zuko turned on his side as he came to the realization he had never met anyone who offered friendship and kindness to an enemy.

" _Please, she helped me."_ The Avatar had said, he remembered now. Elyrie had stepped aside when he had helped the Avatar escape. There was no way she could have known he was behind the mask for certain, yet she had stepped aside to let them pass. Where did her true loyalty lie? He had asked himself that question earlier when she stated her opinion on the war and his father's ways of reigning.

She had helped him the first time in his quest for the Avatar, but she did not shy away from stating her opinion on the matter. She disagreed with him and talked about the Avatars place in a world out of balance. She had helped the Avatar during his capture and willingly stepped aside when he tried to escape. Her loyalty was not to him, to Zhao or to the Fire Nation. _She is loyal to her own heart_ , he mused as he turned away from the Fire Nation flag.

And for the first time, he realized the Avatar was more than just a prize to be captured.

* * *

Elyrie lay down her head and stared at the ceiling. Zhao barely had paid attention to her after the escape from the fortress, so she saw the opportunity to retire early. For some reason, she was completely exhausted after today.

Not for the first time, the events of today made her question her place in all of this. She wondered if she was on the right side of history and if there truly was nothing she could do about it. Yes, she was engaged and she had obligations to her aunt and uncle to keep up the family name. But were they important enough to throw away everything she believed in? Everything her parents taught her? She liked to think she was a rebel, but all the more she realized it were small naughty things that she did.

Feeding a starving boy should not be a rebellious act. Zhao should never held a boy prisoner if all he wants to do is bring balance to the world. An end to the Hunderd Year War. Growing up, she learned that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history and that the Fire Lord was a divine person, brought to this earth to serve as a replacement of the gods.

But her friendship with Zuko made her realize that the royal family was not divine, the Fire Lord least of all. She had lost that belief when he mercilessly scarred his own son. She turned to her side to repress the painful memories.

She remembered the history lessons her father had taught her. Not only Fire Nation history, but also from the other Nations. And because of this, she knew that the Air Nomads did not possess armies when Fire Lord Sozin released his attack on the temples. The greatest battle in Fire Nation history, as she was taught in school, was nothing more than genocide.

She turned around again, switching sides as she let her thoughts wander freely. She was thankful to her father for his honest lessons. He always told her that nobody is perfect, but that people can have perfect intentions. And that they should be judged based on those intentions.

What would her parents think of her now? Her life as a whole, a dutiful fiancée of a high ranking Admiral who was twice her age, was nothing rebellious. It was not even something she did because she loved to. She felt it was her duty to her family and her fathers good name. Her duty as a woman in a patriarchal society. And as a girl in a world which only expected her to marry rich, she played the part as the blushing bride-to-be at 21 years of age.

A shiver went through her. She had not allowed herself to think much about her upcoming wedding this summer, after Sozin's comet. But Zhao's speech this evening had painfully reminded her of her future. She closed her eyes tight as she tried to fight the images flooding her mind.

Herself in a wedding dress, Zhao at the altar, the wedding night…

She quickly sat up and punched her pillow a few times to try and block the thought. She was not naieve and knew what was suppose to happen. But with Zhao…. She let herself fall down on her pillows. Her body physically rejected the idea, as her stomach began to turn at the idea of her future.

But then she remembered Zuko, as he had held her close the last night on his ship. She felt his faint breath in her neck and wondered what it had been like to be kissed there by him. Not for the first time, her mind began to wonder what it would have been like if it had been him to who she was engaged.

She let herself fall back into her pillows. This was exactly her problem. If she allowed herself to think, she started to doubt everything. She was not worried about Zuko, for she knew Aang had taken him to safety with him. If anything, she had to be worried about Aang after Zuko woke up.

 _Aang,_ the Avatar had a name now.

She smiled to herself in the dark. His large grey eyes were full of kindness and compassion, she had seen it. _He must be bearing a huge_ burden, she mused as she tried to imagine the pressure on his shoulders from the entire world. But he did not have to bear it alone. The Water Tribe boy and girl, she knew they had accompanied him on his travels. They both had left their homes behind as well. The girl was around her own age, but had left her home just the same. Did she had obligations or an engagement at home when she left? And if she did, did she defy those traditions to follow her heart?

Her mother had been opposed to traditions, which she never tried to hide. She always said to her daughter that she should be proud to be herself. That nobody should tell what she could and couldn't do. _What would Mama say if she was here?_ She thought pensively.

"Mama, if you are listening" she prayed silently, "Send me a sign that you support me whatever I decide to do". She opened her eyes and looked around the dark room. As expected, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Elyrie let out a disappointed sigh, but was startled by the sounds of the wind. The balcony doors blew open and the full moon shone his light into her room, bathing everything in a mysterious blue light.

Elyrie wiped the curls out of her face and swung her legs over the bed to get and close the doors. But before she closed them, she smiled at the moon and grabbed her locket.

"Thank you!" she whispered to the night sky as she softly closed the doors.


	19. Burning Words

Zhao threw the maps on his desk against the wall in a fit of rage. _Why do all bad things happen to me_ , he thought between gritted teeth.

Weeks had passed since the Avatar had escaped from Zhao's clutches and bad luck seemed to follow him since then.

First the Avatar had escaped from the fortress and then, he lost to him another time and he burned down his own ships in the process.

He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk. While rubbing his temples with his fingers, he thought of all the misfortunes that had happened. And if that was not enough, around the Stronghold the revolts began to increase. More than once had a convoy been attacked and the food supplies stolen which were meant for Fire Nation troops.

But most importantly, he felt he was not the one in command anymore in the Stronghold.

The last weeks he had continue to use the Stronghold as his basis, so he could arrange his plans from one of the most important fortresses in the occupied Earth Kingdom. And in those weeks, he had noticed a change in his young fiancée. She was more outspoken and confident. The first months of their engagement, he had barely spoken to her. Of course, he had attended to her every day for an hour and what he saw during those moments, pleased him. She was quiet, demure and agreed with his every word. They had barely entertained guests or had important visitors when he was situated at the harbour, so he saw no reason to dine with her on a regular basis.

But now, with him promoted to Admiral and in charge of the Fire Nation Navy, they dined with important guests and high ranking officers almost every evening. And she played her part graciously. She really blossomed in her role as hostess and was able to converse with everyone. Every guest complimented him on her hospitality and kindness.

And it bothered him.

For the first time, he noticed how intelligent she was. Beautiful she had always been, that he had noticed right away. Her beauty combined with her noble status and riches made her a perfect bride, since everything she owned would be his once they marry. Even her noble status would rub off on him and his descendants.

But now he realized she had a voice as well, which made him slightly uncomfortable. She conversed with the generals and nobility over a variety of subjects. She was able to hold a conversation with anyone about a wide range of topics. He knew she liked to read, which he did not discourage since women should have a hobby, but now he only realised she overshadowed him in his own position.

The praise he received on her behalf infuriated him even more. At first, he had been pleasently surprised by her confidence, but so were the other officers and other guests. The praise he used to receive, was transferred to her. He would never admit it, but he was jealous. She was young and beautiful and he did not fail to notice she was his superior when it came to intellect. He found it hard to believe, but he got the impression she got bored with him very quickly.

He groaned when he was informed dinner was to be served in an hour.

* * *

"Very good!" Kun said with an appreciative nod as the girl swept her hair out of her eyes.

Elyrie wiped the sweat from her forehead as she turned to him with a smile, slightly panting after the effort to master the fire daggers.

For the past few weeks, she had been training like never before in the arena of the Stronghold.

A large oval ring with a stone floor on the lowest level of the Pagoda Tower, the arena was mostly used for Agni Kai battles and for training new recruits. But Zhao had send away all the new recruits to the corners of the Earth Kingdom as his personal messengers. The Stronghold seemed to be deserted, except for the guards and archers who stayed behind to ensure the safety of the occupants.

Now, the Stronghold was mainly used as Zhao's basis to plan his strategies against the rising revolts, but more importantly, to plan his capture of the Avatar.

For Elyrie, this meant long days without any other form of entertainment. With Jin and Kun, she spent her mornings and afternoons. In the evenings, she was expected to attend to Zhao and his guests as a hostess.

Kun, who had stayed behind as her personal guard, had seen her practicing on her own. A trained firebender himself, he saw her potential and offered to help her in the deserted arena. Not sure whether the Admiral would approve, they agreed to do this as discrete as possible.

Alone, she trained Iroh's forms of firebreathing technique. Kun on the other hand continued to teach her the basics and later on, advanced forms.

Kun looked at the young woman, who swept the hair over her shoulder as she tried it a second time.

Her style of bending was unconventional, bur very effective. She trained with an iron discipline and was advancing more quickly than he had thought. Her lack of training in her earlier years was evident and she had adopted a more vagabond, circular way of bending. _Almost like a waterbender,_ he mused as he uncrossed his arms to clap his hands together.

"Miss, it is time." He said. Wiping the sweat of her forehead, she bowed to Kun. She was forever thankful for him teaching her during the day. It made the long, tedious days in the Stronghold bearable. Kun tossed her a towel to dry herself before he helped her in an overcoat to cover up her training gear.

As they climbed the stairs back to her rooms, Elyrie wondered what Zhao was doing. She doubted he would notice her absence during the day. As long as she was back in time for dinner, no one would miss her.

Jin looked up when Elyrie entered the room. She repressed a smile at the look of her Lady in trousers and a tunic as she took off her coat. Her long curls, sticking out by her temples from the activity, were tied back in a long braid.

As long as Elyrie practiced during the day, Jin was free to entertain herself. She put down the book she had started and stood up to attend to her Lady.

"What did you think?" Elyrie asked as she motioned to the book on the low table.

"Very good!" Jin answered as she loosened the braid and combed her fingers through the auburn curls, "I never thought history could be so fascinating!." Elyrie smiled as she picked up the book. _The History of the Pan Hua region_ , one of her favourites as she stayed her. Colonel Shinu had been so kind to lend it to her and now Jin was profiting from it.

Jin walked to the bath chamber to fill the tub. Looking as the water filled the marble tub, she followed the small wrinkles in the water. Adding jasmine scent to the bath, she let the scent take her back home. Jasmine was the flower of her hometown. She came from a poorer part of the Fire Nation, where her parents were flower merchants. It was not enough though, to feed their large family. With aging parents and six siblings, they depended entirely on her for income. With her 26 years, she should have been married according to Fire Nation tradition, but it simply never was an option. She had been a servant all her life, but only with Elyrie did she feel as an equal.

She was fond of the younger girl, like a little sister. And she knew the girl was attached to her too. She was thankful Elyrie had encouraged her to continue her studies, so she maybe someday could take a job as a clerk or even a teacher. She smiled at the prospect.

"Ready, Miss?" she said as she saw steam and bubbles forming above the water surface.

* * *

"Colonel Shinu informed me you met the Dragon of the West a couple of weeks ago?" Colonel Lee asked her as he picked up his wine. He was delighted to sit next to the Admirals fiancée, who was a charming companion.

A man with an eye for women, he was instantly smitten when he saw her unusual beauty. This, combined with her intelligent ways of conversing made her a wonderful hostess. She was closer to his own age than the other high ranking officers. Moreover, she knew the Dragon of the West personally. Lee had admired the famous general his whole life and wanted to know more about this legendary firebender.

"I did." Elyrie answered as she subconsciously touched the scar on her temple. The Colonel noticed it.

"Is that where you got the scar? I heard you got separated during a storm."

"Yes, it was an unfortunate accident." She answered diplomatically.

"But the Dragon of the West helped you?" the Colonel asked, trying to get the whole story out of her.

"Actually, it was Prince Zuko who was the one that helped me." She said, suddenly turning her head with sparkling eyes. Her open face revealed gratitude as she spoke of the kindness the old General and the banished prince had bestowed on her.

With one ear however, she listened in on the conversation on the other side of the table.

It regarded the rebel attacks, especially on the convoys. Zhao was preparing a fleet, she had heard but so did the rest of the Earth kingdom.

_Out of fear, they rebelled against the plans._

Lee brought her back to the present. "And now you stay here for the time being?"

"I do. I find it most fascinating to observe the unfolding strategies my fiancé comes up with." she said with a stiff smile. _Smile and nod, smile and nod._

Lee let out a low chuckle. "Why do I feel this is not all you have to say about the matter?"

Looking at his handsome face, she involuntarily thought of Zuko. She sighted. "Most of the miseries in the world were caused by war. And when the wars were over, no-one really knew what they were about."

'Ah a woman's view on politics-", Zhao quickly chimed in, overhearing her statement.

Elyrie groaned. The young Colonel saw the face of the girl change, her pretty features twisting as she pressed her lips together.

"Maybe Elyrie can attend our next war council tomorrow? She has some interesting insights" Lee asked while turning to the Admiral. He had no high opinion of the pompous man, who was arrogant and obnoxious. But it seemed his fiancée was more aware of the situation than she let on and he would love to hear more of her. _And see more of her_ , he mentally added as he quickly glanced at her large blue eyes and delicate cheekbones. She was certainly easier on the eye than her middle-aged fiancé.

Surprised, Elyrie's eyes looked at the brown ones of the Colonel. He subtly winked at her, as if to let her in on his little plan. His boyish smile made her grin back, as if they were naughty schoolchildren taunting the Headmaster.

Smiling behind her cup of wine, Elyrie waited for the response.

Weeks of building rapport with the Generals, Colonels and other high ranking officers led to this moment. The remaining guests turned to Zhao with expectant looks on their faces. Colonel Shinu was the first to speak up.

"I think it is a wonderful idea." he said while smiling at the young girl at the other end of the table. She smiled and raised her glass to the older Colonel.

"I suppose she could listen to our plans, since it may be beneficial for the wife of an Admiral to learn a few things about her husbands occupation." Zhao answered with hestitation in his voice.

Elyrie gave him her sweetest smile and gently bowed her head in gratitude. Inwardly, she did not miss the meaning behind his words.

"I will see you tomorrow then." Lee said as he took her hand into his own and swiftly kissed the back of her hand. Smiling broadly, she made a small curtsy at the charming young man.

As she stood up to leave, Zhao grabbed her wrist. It was rather forceful and she repressed the urge to pull her arm back.

"I was thinking, maybe it would be convenient for you to start living in the capital until the wedding? In your old house." He said, trying to sound casual. But his eyes conveyed a different message. The yellow eyes were hard and forceful.

Switfly, she pulled her hand back to sweep a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"That is certainly possible. After all, my father left the house to me." She answered, not completely unable to hide the sharp tone of her voice. Her father had left her in his will their townhouse for whenever she wanted to live in it. He had hoped she would move in with her future husband. And of course, as soon as Zhao got word of that, he had declared the house as his own.

* * *

Climbing the stairs back up for the second time today, she saw her house in her minds eye. One of the great mansions near the Royal Palace, it had been for generations in her fathers family. Three stories high with a beautiful garden, it had been their own palace in the middle of the crowded city.

Her old bedroom, the library, the large kitchen where she used the hide and steal sweets. Her mothers dressing room, where she sat on a sofa. Her little legs barely able to reach the ground, she watched her mother dressing up for formal events. Taking in all the beauty, she silently sat there. And whenever her mother was finished, she would kiss her daughter on her cheek so her lipstick would needed to be redone once again.

Her fathers study was always open. The large leather chair in which her father used to spin her around when she was young. And later, when she showed talent for reading and writing, he had taken it upon himself to teach her subjects near to his heart.

Zuko had visited as often as he could, enjoying the relaxed sphere in the house. Playing together in the gardens, her mother had taught them to swim. She had requested a large pond in the garden, large enough to fit at least ten people, so she could swim whenever she desired. Elyrie had learned to swim from a very young age, yet was always clinging onto her mothers neck as she strongly made her way through the water. It made her feel safe.

She had not been back to the house after her father had died, almost a year ago now. _Too many memories,_ she thought as she twisted a curl around her finger _._

Her mother had died when she was ten years old after a short sickbed. Her father had told her Mama had died due to a fever, not uncommon in the Fire Nation. Most people recovered from it, but her mother did not.

She remembered the beautiful face of her mother in the white sheets. Her caramel-coloured skin had been paler then Elyrie had ever seen it. Her long fingers had grasped her small hands and kissed it.

_My dearest darling, never change who you are. You are my smart, strong, happy and beautiful girl. I love you_

Elyrie had not even cried then. She had been too young to fully comprehend that it was to be goodbye for ever.

_I love you too Mama._

Her mother had spoken to her in her native tongue, not the Common Tongue spoken by everyone or even the High Language of the Fire Nation elite. Elyrie had understood her, since her mother spoke barely any other language to her. She was fluent in the nameless language however. She always liked to think that it was sort of a secret language her mother and she shared. She had never heard anyone speak the language again, but now just assumed it had been a strong dialect from the colonies.

She had been in a state of shock. Not shedding a tear, not even during the funeral. Clinging onto her father, she stood silently as she watched her mothers casket burn, as per Fire Nation tradition

And not even a decade later, she would watch her father endure the same fate. But now, she was all alone with no one to comfort her.

When her mother died, she had her father beside her. But he was gone. No Lady Ursa, who took it upon herself to look after the motherless girl as best she could. No Uncle Iroh, who comforted the scared little girl. No Zuko, who comforted her in her grief. No one.

And she had cried. Cried like never before in her life. And had not cried again after that.

Not until she was forced to be separated from Zuko again, only mere weeks ago.

Opening her door, Elyrie forced herself to return to the present. Having dismissed Jin earlier that evening so she could catch up on her reading, she arrived in an empty room. On autopilot, she filled the tub for the second time today and undressed herself.

Lowering herself in the hot water, she pulled the pins and pearls out of her hair and let her curls float on the water.

Closing her eyes and leaning back, she thought about Zhao's thinly veiled threat. He wanted her gone, that much was certain. As soon as possible for that matter.

 _I can't leave now, not with all of this coming up._ But the question is, what now? Keep her head low and hope he'll forget it soon enough? She doubted it.

Zhao was many things, but an idiot was not one of them. He had worked his way up to the position of Admiral based on his cunning and ruthless ambition. She had to be very careful, because there was one thing she should never forget in this partnership.

She groaned. In the process of making a name for herself, she forgot the most important adversary. Zhao was a vain man and in her blindness, she had ignored the effect her manipulations had on him.

 _I am such a fool,_ she mentally cursed. Never forget who your real opponent is when you play the game. And she had forgotten it.

 _If I do what he wants, I can do what I want_. And there must be a way to have both, she was sure of it.

She lowered herself in the bath until the water had completely submerged her.

Her intuition told her that silence may no longer be an option in the near future.

* * *

_When the storm rises up_

_When the shadows descend_

_Every beat of my heart_

_Everyday without end_

Elyrie abrupty stopped when there was a knock on the door.

Colonel Shinu stopped playing the harpsicord as he heard the door behind him open. Turning around, they saw Kun.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Colonel, Miss" he said with a polite nod, "But the council will begin in a few minutes"

"Thank you Kun" Elyrie said as she straightened her dress. Colonel Shinu rose from his seat and offered her his arm.

"I must say, you have an astonishing voice." He said as the walked to the second floor of the Pagoda Tower, "It reminds me of a singer I was fortunate enough to hear many years ago."

Shinu was grateful for her presence. Their shared love of music made the presence of Zhao in his Stronghold more bearable. He detested the man, but his sweet fiancée was the opposite. Delighted that she knew his favourite song, he had started playing for her before they were interrupted.

"Maybe we could finish later?" he suggested as the entered the warchamber.

"I would love that" she answered with an enchanting smile.

After he had guided her to her seat, on the left side of Zhao at the high table, he sat down cross-legged next to the other officers. Lee winked at her with a boyish smile on his handsome face from a few seats away. She pouted her lips to stifle a grin. Looking around, she saw four other officers present. All nodded to her, except the grey-haired General closest to her. He pretended not to see her, so it seemed.

Zhao coughed to get the attention of the men, and woman, present.

"We are here to discuss the urgent matter at hand." he began while motioning to the large map behind him. Elyrie looked and quickly found the Stronghold on the map, near the sea. However, Zhao pointed at a village, a few miles away.

"This village harbours the most rebels and munition. If we repress them, the revolts will cease to be." Zhao said, "But more importantly, they will be able to give us the information we need to repress the entire rebellion at once. "

"How do you plan to do this?" Colonel Shinu asked

"My informants know that this villages harbours the leaders, so it will be easy to extract the information from them." Zhao answered with a wicked grin. That grin made the hairs in Elyrie's neck rise.

"And how do you manage to persuade them?" Colonel Lee asked, frowning his eyebrows at the Admiral.

"Persuasion." The older General answered, who had not given her a glance, while his eyes gleaming evil, "Fire is wild and dangerous when left uncontrolled. I suggest we set our beautiful element loose"

'It will not break the rebellion. It will only strengthen their hate against the Fire Nation and fuel their desire to win" Elyrie answered, her soft voice so different from the others.

"You better learn your fiancée to hold her tongue in the presence of a man." The older general said with disdain in his voice. The older General turned to face her for the first time since she entered the room.

When the yellow eyes looked at her, she felt a shiver going down her spine. She knew those viper-like eyes. She remembered him. He was the general that Zuko had offended, all those years ago. He looked older, but those viperlike eyes still were the same. She had seen him in the Agni Kai-chamber, standing on the side of the Fire Lord. Uncle Iroh had pointed him out to her, before the reveal of the actual opponent.

She had always felt guilty for persuading Zuko to become more involved with matters of state. She was the one who pushed him to try and attend a war council, only to see it turning around in the worst way possible. _Only because Zuko did the honourable thing_ , she thought.

Not breaking eyecontact, she rose from her seat. Digging her nails into her palms, she stared at the older man. His pale skin showed stains, revealing his advanced age. His grey hair was thinning near his temples and his lips were thin and formed into a grimace. Raising a single arched eyebrow, she took a breath.

"Yet you cannot-" she began.

"I have heard enough from you" Zhao suddenly yelled at her. All his frustration about her came to a boiling point, "You should be wise and do what we all expect from you: stay silent"

She felt her cheeks heat up at the insult. Forcing herself to remain stoic, she turned to him.

"Why do you think you can justify death?" she said with a voice burning like a venom.

Then, she nodded to the others and left the room with her head held high.

* * *

The following morning at breakfast, Zhao entered to speak to her. This was unusual: she usually ate her breakfast alone and only saw Zhao at dinner. But her breakfast was one she ate alone, always. So the single reason he had for coming, must be to reprimand her. She mentally sighed and looked up at Zhao with innocent eyes.

"I hope you slept well" Zhao said stiffly, not taking his eyes of her. She nodded and added with a small smile "Yes, thank you very much for your concern."

Zhao kept looking at her, as if unsure what to say next. After a few moments, he added "You need to refrain from speaking out."

Elyrie nodded, while pensively thinking about the hypocrisy. She knew better than to respond, so she nodded and kept everything inward. As usual, she thought. Yet her temper started to flare up, which was highly unusual. .

"Elyrie, do you hear me? My reputation is at stake." Zhao added more harshly.

"We wouldn't want that." Elyrie said while looking at her cup of tea, unable to fully hide the sarcasm in her voice.

"What did you say to me?" Zhao said with wide eyes. She had never spoken back to him.

Elyrie looked up, irritated and said: "I said that we wouldn't want your reputation to be tarnished. That would be completely unbearable."

Zhao's eyes narrowed as he looked at his blue-eyed fiancée. He would not tolerate this mocking behaviour. She must know her place. "You are not allowed to ever speak like that again. You are lucky the general did not take it too seriously since you are only a woman." He said firmly.

That did it.

After all those months of silently playing the dutiful fiancée, she had enough. Elyrie stood up, slowly and elegantly.

"What do you think I am? Some sparrowkeet you can teach to say pretty words and muzzle when you want to?" she said with an icy voice. Zhao's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't know if you noticed, or cared to notice for that matter, but the only reason I spoke up is to prevent any more useless violence." she finished with fire in her eyes. "This is not how you treat your fiancée."

Her words were like rapid fireshots, following each other quickly. He was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the meaning of those words. But his temper flared up and within a second, he had kicked the table over.

"My fiancée?! Yes, you are and soon you'll be my wife!" he roared. "You should respect me, and help Agni if you don't.", he continued raising his hand.

When he kicked over the table , flames started to dance around Elyrie's fingertips. She hid her hand behind her back, but felt the familiar warmth spreading through her hands. She could strike him, she could take him. She was not as helpless as he had thought, she was far stronger than he'll ever be. As he approached her, she felt her bending growing stronger. It was like Uncle had said: fire thrives on emotions and at that moment, she was furious. She was not afraid of him, not even a little bit. But through the fog of her anger, she saw a small light. Her common sense tried to make it's way through the thick fog. She thought quickly, weighing her options as she saw the whole picture more clear.

She would be guarded every moment if she fought back now. Even if she could take Zhao down, she had nowhere to go now, so no real chance of escape. He would not give her an opportunity to escape once he knew what she was capable of. She would be locked up.

She dropped to her knees, with a bowed head and faked her shivering. Zhao stopped, and looked down on her. She looked up with wide eyes at him, as if to apologize.

Zhao said harshly: "Do you understand?" She nodded quickly, and looked down again. Zhao straightened his back and walked away, content he had shown her her place.

When he had left, she let out a breath and noticed the burned spot on the carpet where her hand had been. She smiled.

"Don't you worry," she whispered while raising her chin, "I know my place."


	20. Visiting Old Friends

The next few days, Elyrie was careful to keep her head down and not to attract too much attention to herself. Especially from Zhao.

The remaining officers, including the viper-like General and Colonel Lee, stayed in the Stronghold for the time being as Zhao concluded his plans. The assembling of the fleet for the expedition to the North Pole had given main priority after the informants had returned with new information regarding the Avatar.

Zhao prepared for them to leave at the earliest opportunity, as soon as he had assembled all available naval crews of the Fire Nation. Elyrie silently listened during dinner, but did not speak unless spoken to. The plans for an attack on the village seemed to have been faded into the background, for which she was thankful. However, Zhao must have something enormous planned for the expedition to the North Pole for it to get such attention.

She needed to play her cards right this time, otherwise she would be send away before the expedition would even take place. For the most time, she stayed in her room to read and help Jin with her studies. She did not mind, but she started to feel restless.

The only thing she continued to do, was training with Kun. Especially now, when she might needed to rely on her bending, did she need to keep up an practice. She knew Kun risked the anger of the Admiral, but for some reason it did not bother him. Even though she was grateful to him, she could not help but feel anxious about the consequences.

After finishing her training for the day, she passed Colonel Lee on her way back to her room. She halted in her pace and gave him a quick nod, hoping he would let her pass.

Lee stopped in his tracks when he noticed the fiancée of the Admiral and bowed to her.

"Miss, what a pleasure seeing you" he said while his brown eyes glittered with mischief. Elyrie smiled but barely slowed down as she gave him a quick "Good day"

He turned so he blocked her way effectively and she halted with a small sigh. Please, let me be, she mentally pleaded as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and lifted her chin to look at him.

"May I ask if you are all right?" he asked as he searched her pale face. She had been quiet after the Admiral's outburst during the war council, for which he felt partly responsible. She looked as if she had lost her will to speak.

"I am, thank you" she answered while looking down. She started to play with her engagement ring, frantically twisting it around her finger as she was eager to leave.

"I see" Lee answered while gently stepping aside, "But if you need anything, please let me know." He added as she walked past him. She looked so helpless and it was part of his male pride to help a woman in need.

Elyrie gave him a quick nod before she quickly walked back to her room. After she had shut the door, she sighed as she threw her cloak on the table.

Lee undoubtedly meant well, but it was impossible to trust anyone in this Stronghold at the moment. She had even refused the offer of Colonel Shinu to play the harpsichord together, even though her fingers ached to play again. And her voice longed to sing again. However, aside from Jin and Kun, she would much rather spend the upcoming days alone than risk another outburst at her expense.

In her efforts the manipulate her way around everyone she had forgotten who she was playing against. She had underestimated his ego. She never dreamed he would feel threatened by her, so she left him out of the equation by calculating every step she made.

She cursed her own blindness. But she was willing to bear the consequences if it meant she would get her freedom back, eventually.

That same evening, after an uneventful dinner, she brushed her hair carefully in front of the mirror. Lost in thought, she was startled by a sudden knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked while pushing her hair aside.

"Jin, my Lady" she heard the familiar voice answer from behind the door.

"Please, enter." Elyrie said as she rose from the chair, "You know you don't have to ask permission". Jin entered with a burgundy piece of fabric in her arms before she quickly closed the door again.

"I know, but two guards passed and I thought it would be wise to keep up appearances" Jin answered with a wink as she laid down the burgundy-coloured fabric on the bed.

Elyrie gave her a grateful smile. Jin didn't need words to understand her, which made her all the more thankful for having such a good friend in this hostile place.

"What is this?" Elyrie asked as softly caressed the red silk.

"Admiral Zhao requests your presence at his office in half an hour. He ordered me to dress you in this." Jin answered as she picked up the brush from the table to pin up her hair.

"Did he say why he wants me to come to him?" Elyrie asked again as she held up the dress. It was a beautiful dress, tailored around the waist with golden embroidery. The long skirt flowed around as if it was made of water, catching the slightest breeze of air. "Or why I should wear this expensive dress?" she added as she noticed the craftmanship.

"I'm sorry, no." Jin answered while tapping the brush in her handpalm.

"Hmm" Elyrie hummed as she put the dress down again. _What could he possible have to gain from me by dressing me in the finest silk late at night?_ Involuntarily, she shuddered. _Whatever it is, it can never be a good thing._ Quickly repressing that thought, she shook her head and let Jin help her get ready

After half an hour, she knocked on the door of Zhao's office. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a small bun, which let the ends of her curls fall down her shoulder. Her makeup was simple, but her lips were coloured the same red as the dress. _I could go to a party_ ¸ she mused. But since Zhao was not particularly fond of parties, or anything fun for that matter, she knew that would not be the case.

"Enter" she heard his deep voice answer. Without saying another word, she pushed open the mahogany door and stepped inside the room.

Zhao sat bent over the large desk, which was filled with parchment and maps. A dozen candles were lit in the room, so he would be able to work after the sun had set. Which he apparently did most of the time.

"Close the door" he said without looking up. She gritted her teeth at his dismissive tone. _Sure, dress up nice and come to the office at this hour, no inconvenience at all_ , she thought sarcastically. But she needed to be keep her wits about her _._

So she turned around and closed the door softly. Then, she turned around and clasped her hands together in front of her. Patiently, she waited.

He kept on writing without bothering to look up to her or to offer her a seat. She knew this technique, it was to make her wait and make her impatient. _Nice try, but I know what you are doing,_ she though amused. So she kept smiling and waited _._ Het patience was far greater than Zhao's and her pride prevented her from playing into his game.

After a few, long minutes, Zhao finally looked up and saw his fiancée standing in front of the door. Hands clasped together and her blue eyes turned down, she patiently waited until he spoke. _She did not even dare to sit down_ , he grinned. This is what he liked to see. Obedience and submission.

"Please, sit." he said with a smirk, which was undoubtedly his attempt at a smile. Elyrie repressed an eyeroll and sat down with her hands folded in her lap. Again, she did not speak unless he asked her something. _Play the game, beat him to it._

"You might wonder why I asked you to come her." He began. It did not sound like a question he needed answering to, so she kept looking at him with her lips sealed.

"You see, I am recruiting all available Fire Nation ships for a little expedition to the North Pole." He continued, while standing up from behind his desk. "This will be the greatest armada the world has ever seen and I need every last available man with me."

He started pacing around as she remained quiet. She knew about the plans for the armada, but she was still unsure what he exactly wanted from her.

"I have prepared every ship and in a few days, we leave for the harbour." Zhao continued as he pointed at the position on the map lying on this desk.

Elyrie bent forward to look and saw a rather large harbour at the Northern part of the Earth Kingdom. From there, she estimated it would take only a few days to reach the North Pole. She smiled inwardly, glad that it was expected of her to accompany them on this expedition. _I am not to be send home just yet,_ she thought while biting her underlip.

"However, I still need the crew of one ship and you will accompany me to it." Zhao concluded as he placed his hands on the desk while looking at the auburn-haired girl in the chair in front of him. She was vital for recruiting the last men for this expedition. With her, they would follow without any trouble. She might be able to convince the last General to join him on his mission, who was famous for his many conquests. He smirked, proud of his strategical planning.

"Why would you want me to accompany you?" she asked timidly as she looked up, unable to repress her curiosity.  
"Because the last ship belongs to the banished Prince." was the brash answer.

* * *

As Elyrie walked up the ramp of the small ship, she heard the sound of distant music. On the arm of Colonel Shinu, who accompanied them for, they had arrived at the small harbour in the Northern Earth Kingdom in less than an hour.

_Winter, spring_

_Summer and fall_

_Four seasons,_

_Four loves_

She smiled as she stepped onto the deck. _Another music night,_ she thought with an amused grin. Her smile quickly died however, when she remembered the reason for coming her. Walking behind Zhao and two guards, she saw a small circle of men standing around a fire.

With his back turned to her, Uncle Iroh was the one that had been singing. On his right, Captain Jee played the pipa. The engineer and helmsman danced together on the song, which made her repress a chuckle.

However, when they noticed Zhao's presence, the music quickly stopped. Zhao grinned at the small group of men before he turned his attention to the Dragon of the West.

"General Iroh, I've come here to invite you and your crew for an expedition to the North Pole" Zhao began while eying the group of men. "Your support would be valuable for the quest to capture the Avatar."

Iroh turned around to look at the newly promoted Admiral. Hiding his hands in his sleeves, he answered in a neutral tone.

"You honour us with your visit, Admiral Zhao" the older man said, "And I see you have brought guests." Ignoring Zhao's earlier comments, he walked straight towards Elyrie and Colonel Shinu. Standing next to Zhao, Elyrie could feel his temper flare.

"Colonel Shinu, it is a pleasure seeing you again" Iroh said with a bow to the Colonel. Shinu answered with a respectful bow, deeper than Elyrie had ever seen him bow.

"And Miss Elyrie" Iroh continued while grasping the hands of the young girl, "It makes my old heart joyous seeing you again in good health". The fatherly tone brought a smile to Elyrie's face as she bowed her head in gratitude.

"I am very pleased to see you as wel, General Iroh" she answered in her musical voice. Iroh gave her a quick wink before he turned again to the Admiral.

"Anyone who brings us such a visit, is our honoured guest. Would you like to join us for music night?" Iroh asked while looking at the Admiral.

Zhao frowned at this and gave Elyrie a nudge, harder than necessary. Repressing a sigh, she knew what she had to do.

"Nothing would make me happier, General" she answered with a sad look in her eyes, "But I am afraid we have other business to attend to. See, I told the Admiral about this crew and the impeccable state of work. We are more than eager to let you join us for our expedition." Looking around the crew, she managed to smile at them. Some of them, mainly the helmsman and Captain Jee, returned the smile with fondness.

Her cheeks hurt from the fake smile, but she managed to let the warmth be present in her voice. After all, she did not lie. She was fond of the crew and wished for them to join them. But she knew at what price.

"The North Pole is home to the Northern Water Tribe, a great nation. There's a reason they've survived a hundred years of war." She continued her speech, prepared to the letter by Zhao, "The frozen tundra is treacherous, the landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need a massive invasion force"

 _He never needed this group,_ Elyrie realised as she ended her speech, _he just wants to cross Zuko in every way possible._ She began twisting her cold engagement ring again, fighting the urge to throw it into the dark shimmering water of the ocean. She knew Zhao could simply order them to join them, as his rank as Admiral was able to do. _By using me to convince them, it is just another blow._

"Even more so, it would be a great honour having you as the General, the mighty Dragon of the West" Elyrie added with another smile that strained the muscles in her face while turning to Iroh.

Iroh stroked his beard as he looked at the girl. He saw the hurt in her azure eyes and knew she was forced to come along. Zhao was using her as pawn in his games.

"I see." Iroh simply answered, "Well, who are we to refuse such an offer?" Elyrie mentally thanked him for making it easier for her. Iroh send her a reassuring look before he turned to Zhao.

"We need to inform Prince Zuko about this turn of events, since he is in charge of the crew" Iroh said in a neutral tone before adding "But I am afraid I will not be able to accompany you on your expedition."

Elyrie had expected nothing less from the old General, loyal to his nephew to the very end.

"Then let's inform him of our new arrangement" Zhao said with a cruel smile.

* * *

"For the last time, I am not playing the tsungi horn" Elyrie heard the brooding voice say.

"No, it is about our plans" his Uncle answered as he stepped into the dimly lit room.

"Hi Zuko" Elyrie said as she stepped into the dark room, only lit by a few lanterns that gave of a reddish light. _No wonder he is so grumpy,_ she mused as she looked around. She would be brooding a lot too if she kept herself into such a dark place. It certainly did not look this way when she stayed on the ship.

Zuko quickly sat up straight when he heard the familiar voice. "Elyrie?" he asked as he stood up from his bed. She gave him a weak smile and slowly shook her head. She noticed he was still in his training gear, and probably just finished with his meditation. _We are going to need all the peace of mind we can get_ , she thought as she anticipated the situation.

Zuko observed her, as she stood with her hands clasped and her eyes sad. She was not here for a visit, he knew. Looking at her, he did not failed to notice how beautiful she looked. It looked like she really made an effort, with an expensive dress and a complicated hairdo.

"There's a bit of a problem" Uncle Iroh said while placing a hand on the shoulder of the young girl standing next to him.

Zuko's rose up from his bed when he saw the pompous figure of Admiral Zhao enter his room.

"I'm taking your crew. I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole" Zhao simply informed the Prince, as if it was nothing. Inwardly, he enjoyed the look of confusion as the Prince realised what he had said.

"What?" Zuko roared as he moved forward. With two great steps, he was standing in front of the trio. "Elyrie, is that true?" he asked while looking at the pale face of his friend.

"I'm afraid so" she answered, meeting his pleading golden eyes.

"He's taking everyone" Uncle added before he wiped his eyes, "Even the cook."

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar, but I can't have you getting in my way again" Zhao added before he turned to examine the room.

With a yell, Zuko leaped forward to physically attack the Admiral.

"No!" Elyrie said as she moved in front op Zuko, placing her hands on his chest to stop him. Through the thin fabric, she felt his heart race. He inhaled through gritted teeth while meeting the pleading sapphire eyes. Those eyes gave him a clear message. _Don't do this._

As always, her presence had a calming effect on him. Even now, when he felt his temper flare and his blood heat up, she calmed his racing heart.

Noticing she still had her hands on his chest, she pulled her hands back without breaking eye contact. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she turned to look at Zhao's back. Zuko followed her example and looked at the Admiral.

And then, two hearts simultaneously stopped.

Zhao reached for the swords which decorated the wall. Zuko's dual broadswords. The swords he had used in his disguise as the Blue Spirit.

Zuko's golden eyes widened as he quickly looked down and met Elyrie's blue eyes. For less then a second, they shared a look of terror. And then, he knew that she knew.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broad swords, Prince Zuko?" Zhao said casually while swinging one of the swords he had taken from the wall.

"I'm not" Zuko said while sending a hateful glare to the brown-eyed man, "They're antiques, just decorative."

Elyrie chewed on her bottom lip as she saw Zuko looking away. He had always been a terrible liar.

"No proper firebender would deign themselves to train with weapons when they are able to bend the most powerful element in the word." Elyrie said with an impassive look, trying to take the heat off the situation.

Zhao nodded at her comment as he walked towards them with the sword still in his hands. While examining the blade, he asked "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumours," was the disinterested answer of the older General, "I don't think he is real."

"He is real, all right," Zhao answered without looking up from the sword, "He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation". He swung the sword for the last time before handing it to Iroh, who took it wordlessly.

"But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon" Zhao finished as he motioned to Elyrie to follow him. While making their way out of the room, Zhao halted and without turning, he said to Iroh "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind."

Iroh did not answer, but he and Zuko followed the pair back onto the deck. Zuko was still fighting the urge to attack Zhao, bitterly regretting not using his last opportunity to hurt him.

"I expect you at the harbour in two days." Zhao ordered the men as soon as he had reached the deck. While making way to the ramp, a voice disrupted the silence.

"Miss, you promised to sing for us!" the helmsman cried out. The crew murmured in agreement.

"Please, I would very much like to accompany you on my pipa" the captain added as he motioned towards the instrument next to the fire.

Elyrie blushed, but Zhao raised a dark eyebrow at the request.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked as he looked at the esteemed Captain. _Why would they want to hear her?_ He thought with a mental frown.

"Because, Admiral" Jee answered as he straightened his back, "She has the most beautiful singing voice"

"She?" he asked, somewhat indignant. He felt his temper flare up again. Everywhere they went, she was showered with compliments. He felt his annoyance grew.

Next to the door, Zuko smashed against the metal wall. It bulged and left a visible mark. He did not even notice it, that is how angry he was at Zhao. He started to walk towards the arrogant Admiral, but he felt a hand on his shoulder. Uncle Iroh halted him and shook his head, barely moving.

"Yes. I would love to sing." Zuko heard a soft voice answering. Without giving Zhao a so much as a glance, she walked forward to the captain. Her blue eyes reflected the dancing flames as her smile lit up her entire face.

Zuko relaxed, understanding his Uncle's intention. _She doesn't need anyone to fight her battles._

Elyrie elegantly flipped the ends of her curls over her shoulder.

"Colonel Shinu, do you have any requests? To make up for the last time?" she said with a smile that outshone the stars in the sky. Zuko watched as Colonel Shinu gave her a appreciative look and returned her smile.

"I would love it if you sang my favourite song." The Colonel answered, "You know, the one we started last time?"

"I remember" she answered with a smile, "Captain Jee, are you familiar with the song?"

As she walked towards the captain to discuss the song, Zuko understood something. Something he failed to notice the last time she was here.

She doesn't need physical strength or intimidation to get what she wants. She doesn't need to lie, cheat or kill. She simply is herself. Charming, friendly and attentive. And that way, she can wrap anyone around her little finger.

By now, the whole crew was present on the ship. They formed a small circle around her, eager to hear her sing again. Colonel Shinu and Zhao stood in front of the others, one with an anticipating smile, the other with an annoyed look.

As she stepped on a small box, she was able to overlook them all. But most importantly, she was able to see the two figures standing in the back.

As Captain Jee started to play, she took a deep breath. The flames from the small fire illuminated her pale face and bathed her in a warm light as she began to sing.

 _You're the bravest of hearts  
you're the strongest of souls_ _  
You're my light in the dark, you're the place I call home  
You can say it's all right, but I know that you're breaking up inside  
I see it in your eyes  
Even you face the night afraid and alone  
That's why I'll be there_

Elyrie quickly took a breath as she looked around the circle of men with a smile. She avoided Zhao's look but searched Zuko's eyes as she continued.

_When the storm rises up  
When the shadows descend  
Every beat of my heart  
Everyday without end  
I will stand like a rock  
I will bend till I break  
Till there is no more to give  
If that's what it takes_

Sapphire eyes met golden eyes.

He smiled lovingly at her and she winked. He softly chuckled as he watched her voice grow more powerful.

_Through the wind and the rain  
Though the smoke and the fire  
When the fear rises up  
When the waves ever higher  
I will give you my heart  
My body, my soul  
I will lay down my life  
And never let go  
Every second I live  
That's the promise I make  
Darling, that's what I give  
If that's what it takes_

Slightly panting, she looked around as the men started to cheer. Even louder than the last time, they clapped and cheered for her. She bowed with gratitude as she answered their praise with a thankful smile.

However, Zhao had not missed their silent conversation. Clenching his jaw, he looked at the cheering crew. Even his own soldiers cheered her on. And that ungrateful Colonel Shinu, he looked at her as if she suddenly was made of gold.

He did not even know she could sing. She had never sung when he was around. He was impressed, he was enchanted and he was furious.

With gritted teeth, he had to admit she had beaten him at this. Again, she managed to get the crowd on her hand by simply letting others request something of her.

"We need to go." He brashly said as the pulled the girl with him.

* * *

"I'm very impressed" Zhao said at the group in front of him. One of his spies had informed him of a group who was more than willing to help him with a little problem.

Seven pirates were standing around his desk, with the captain sitting down. A colourful group of men, varying from fat, skinny, dark and pale. They all looked at the small, red chest Zhao had pushed towards the captain.

"That's some tasty gold" a skinny, longhaired pirate said as he tried to bent the gold piece between his teeth. All the men eyed the small chest hungerly.

The captain quickly took the coin from the pirate and placed it back in the box. With his large hat and an Iguana-parrot on his shoulder, he looked just like the pictures in children's books. This, however, made him no less dangerous.

He closed the box and turned to Zhao. "What do you need us to do?" he asked in a grim tone.

"I believe you are acquainted with Prince Zuko?" Zhao answered with an ominous grin

The Prince had stood in his way too many times. He helped the Avatar escape as the Blue Spirit. And Zhao did not like the way he looked at his fiancée when they were together. She was his ticket to nobility and he was not going to lose his potential noble status because of some banished prince. She was to be his wife and no Prince was to stand in his way

Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Invincible. He had spent too much of his life fighting for his place. Now nobility and a legendary status were within his grasp. His legacy would be legendary.

And nothing and no one would stand in the way of his victory.


	21. Horrors of War

The last days at the Stronghold crept up on Elyrie. With everyone preparing for their departure, it was like living in a busy bee-hornet nest. Colonel Lee and the other officers were send ahead to organize and prepare the vessels already present at the harbour. Only the last soldiers, two dozen or so Elyrie estimated, remained at the Stronghold for the last preparations.

Of course, Colonel Shinu remained at the Stronghold as well. And with him, the Yuyan archers. The archers were instructed to stay at the Stronghold after much debate, because even Zhao understood that archers are of little use in the frozen tundra and icy surroundings of the Northern Water Tribe.

Elyrie had kept her eyes and ears open at all times, trying to gather as much information as possible. Jin and Kun helped her, also gathering gossip and rumours about Zhao's plans for the invasion of the North Pole. Elyrie felt he was purposefully vague about his goal. Sure, he wanted to capture the Avatar who was heading North to learn waterbending. The Avatar-cycle had followed the same routine: water, earth, fire and air. After air came water, then earth and finally fire. It was easy to guess why the flying bison was continuously spotted going north.

But what she didn't understand was the need for an entire armada to attack the Northern Watertribe in the process. It is a powerful nation who survived hundred years of attack without effort. Their icy temperatures and frozen landscapes are dangerous for anyone who dared venture into it. Firebenders were especially at a disadvantage since the cold climate weakened their bending, while it only strengthened the waterbenders.

With all this, it would be a more logical move to wait until the Avatar, or Aang as she continued to call him, left the North Pole to return to the Earth Kingdom to find a teacher there. Most of the Earth Kingdom was taken by the Fire Nation anyway, so this would give Zhao a huge advantage. And even if Aang decided to leave for Omashu or Ba Sing Se, they had a better chance at capturing him on the way there instead of trying to force themselves into the icy fortress of the Northern Tribe.

With a sigh, Elyrie shook her head and looked around her empty room. Everything was packed and ready for their departure. Jin and she had prepared everything for a longer stay on a ship, so most of her items were send back to her old house. She expected to live there soon anyway. Only her warmest clothing was packed, along with her personal items which she wanted on the ship with her, mostly books to pass the time for the long journey ahead.

Playing with her locket, she stood up and pushed open the balcony doors. Lingering at the balcony, Elyrie watched the sun reaching it's highest point. It was almost noon, so they would depart soon. Breathing in the fresh air, she let her elbows rest on the stones. Her chin placed in the palm of her hand, she admired the view over the sea. The ocean shimmered like a mirror and let the light dance on the soft crashing waves.

The sound brought her back. She remembered the summers on Ember Island. As lady-in-waiting of Lady Ursa, her mother was asked to spend summers there. Not as a lady, but as a friend. Like most Fire Nation nobles, they preferred to spend their summers outside of the scorching capital.

In the crashing waves, her mother taught Zuko how to swim. Beautiful tan in the sunlight, her mother seemed more at home in the water than anywhere else. And her daughter, following everywhere she went, had dived in the waves without seeing any danger. As fast as her little legs could carry her, she ran into the waves at every opportunity. Zuko had been more hesitant, not used to the wild waves and pulling currents. However, he refused to let her beat him at anything so he had followed her without thinking. In less then five minutes, he had managed to step on a crab, cutting open his food and falling facedown into the waves which returned him to the shore with quite some force. This resulted in an afternoon of Zuko brooding, coughing up seawater and his lifetime resentment of crabs.

Smiling at the memories, she exhaled and looked at the gates. A carriage was rolled forward, undoubtedly for her to take her to the harbour. She was brought out of her thoughts by a soft knock.

Turning around, she saw that Kun had softly knocked on the open door. Remaining on the doorstep, he asked: "Miss, are you ready?"

"I am." Elyrie answered as she closed the balcony doors. With all her bags already packed, she had nothing to carry with her, so she closed the door to her room and followed Kun to the carriage. Walking behind the young man, she noticed he was tense. He had always been quiet, but he seemed somewhat nervous. Which was odd, since she never thought he would be fazed by anything. With his cool demeanour and calming presence, he was a constant person. He even offered to train her without hesitation, without bothering to think what Zhao thought of those practices. _He must be anxious about the expedition_ , Elyrie shrugged, not wanting to bother him with invasive questions.

"You will ride with me." Zhao said in a harsh tone as soon as she stepped outside. Keeping her face impassive, Elyrie simply nodded and got into the carriage. Kun mounted the komodo-rhino next to the carriage without saying another word.

Zhao rode the Komodo-rhino next to the carriage and gave the order to leave the fortress. Last night, he had come to a decision. Elyrie was still too independent, too confident. She needed to know he was not to be crossed, in any way. Last night, when the pirates returned from their mission, Zhao had stayed up late to think about the lack of a problem now. Without the banished Prince, he was no longer bothered by his attempts to capture the Avatar or to influence his fiancée in any way.

But the more he thought about it, the more he started to doubt that getting rid of Zuko was truly the answer to all his troubles. Gazing at the carriage, he remembered how she had sung on the ship. Her voice full of power and her eyes full of strength, her very being seemingly defying him.

He was certain she was scared of him, after his outburst at breakfast. But her spirit still wasn't broken. Scared and afraid, yes, of course. _She would be foolish not to be_ , he mused as they followed the main road. But she needed to be broken if he was to spend his entire life with her as his wife. He wanted and needed her noble status, her possessions and her beauty to ensure a legendary legacy, but he refused to be second in any way. And if she saw what he would do to those who defied him, she would never question his authority again.

Elyrie looked at the soldiers riding along, but noticed Colonel Shinu and a Yuyan archer riding with them as well. Which is odd, since he was suppose to stay at the Stronghold. Frowning her brow, she was even more surprised to see that they went further into the country instead of following the shore to the harbour. Closing the curtain and shaking her head, she let her head rest against the cushions. It would be useless to ask anyone about it, so she just had to wait and see where they would end up.

* * *

"Admiral Zhao wishes to address the whole village." Colonel Shinu informed the village leader, "Gather everyone in the Temple."

The soldiers drove everyone, men, women and children, together in the wooden temple which dominated the centre of the town. A large building with a roof made of straw, it was used for decades as a place of worship for the Spirits of the Forest. But now, it was used to drive the villagers together like kettle.

A silence fell on the murmuring group when Zhao stepped forward.

Elyrie was forced to stand next to Zhao as he addressed the anxious villagers. She knew this village; it was the one which seemingly harboured the rebels which attacked the convoys. Apparently, Zhao wanted to take a last look to make sure no rebels remained as he left the Stronghold. Or so Kun had told her when they walked into the town.

Mentally damning Zhao for forcing her to witness him humiliating innocent villagers, she stood next to him while chewing on her bottom lip. Kun stood slighty behind her, but close enough to ensure she was well-guarded. She sighed as she looked around. Aside from a few men, the village consisted mostly of women and children. _Most young men were forced to fight anyway_ , she thought. It was the same in almost every small Earth Kingdom town.

"This town has given aid to the rebels which attacked Fire Nation convoys. I wish to know their whereabouts." Zhao began as every pair of eyes in the room was focused on him. "So, anyone who comes forward may be forgiven their treason." He continued, almost politely.

Nobody spoke. Elyrie was sure she could not even hear the breathing of the citizens. Her eye fell on a little boy, barely older than five. Clutched to his mothers skirt, he looked wide-eyed at the Admiral. With his black curls and green eyes, he was undoubtedly from the Earth Kingdom. And very skinny, too skinny for such a young boy.

The silence lasted for a few seconds. Nobody came forward. _What does it matter?_ Elyrie wanted to ask. The attacks had not harmed any Fire Nation soldiers, they had only stolen the rations. And as she looked around the townspeople, she understood why. The villagers looked famished, undoubtedly the result of shortage due to the plundering of passing Fire Nation soldiers.

"Very well." Zhao said after another fifteen seconds of silence, "You had your chance."

"Wait!" a voice cried out from the crowd. A young man stepped forward. "These men are leading the revolts. They are here right now!" he yelled as he pointed at six men, standing at the front of the group.

"Those men?" Zhao said with an almost disinterested voice while motioning to the men, who looked defiantly at the Admiral. "Yes" the young man replied eagerly.

"Don't listen to him! He lies" a woman yelled. "Yeah, he is not even from here!" a man's voice added. More townspeople voiced their opinion about the man, who grinned at them.

Elyrie looked at the young man, who indeed seemed different from the green-eyed citizens. His hair was sleek and black and he had yellow-coloured eyes. Fire Nation eyes. His skin was slightly paler than those of the other townspeople, which made Elyrie guess he was part Fire Nation. Most likely, a son of a Fire Nation man and an Earth Kingdom woman which was not uncommon in the colonies. These 'halfbloods', as they were called, were shunned by both cultures and never fitted in. No wonder this man was eager to please the Fire Nation soldiers, since the villagers seemed to hate him.

"Thank you very much." Zhao said calmly to the man before turning around and walking out of the Temple. He did not even bother to give another look at the rebels, who raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"Wait, you said I would be forgiven?" the yellow-eyed man cried. "And indeed you may. That is between you and the Gods." Zhao answered without slowing down as he walked outside. Motioning for the soldiers to follow him, Kun gently took Elyrie's arm and escorted her out of the Temple as well.

"Shut the doors!" Zhao shouted as Elyrie walked past him. Kun almost pulled her with him. Holding onto her upper arm, he quickened his pace.

"Kun, what is happening? What is the matter?" Elyrie asked as she tried to keep up with him. He didn't answer, but continued to walk into the direction of the carriage and Komodo-rhinos.

"Ready to burn the houses on your orders sir." Colonel Shinu said as he lit up his fists. As a final answer to the attacks, the plan was to burn the village until nothing but ashes remained.

"Houses?" Zhao replied with a mocking smile, as he motioned to the large wooden temple, "No, burn the temple."

"Sir?" Shinu answered with his mouth open.

"You heard me, Colonel." Zhao replied in a neutral tone.

Shinu felt as if a bucket of icewater was dumped on him. In the Temple were women and children, defenseless and helpless. This was not the way honourable men fought. This was cowardice.

"There is no honour in this." The Colonel replied through gritted teeth as he lowered his fist. The flames disappeared.

"I bet the Fire Lord would be pleased to hear you side with traitors of the Fire Nation" Zhao answered. He enjoyed the look of fear on the Colonel's face. He had not forgotten the refusal of using the archers that very first night, so he planned to make him pay for it.

 _Both Shinu and Elyrie shall never forget what would happen if you cross the great Admiral Zhao,_ Zhao thought with a cruel smile.

"Burn the temple."

Elyrie had been standing too far away to hear the conversation between the two men. Kun had ushered her away, trying to get her as far away from the temple as possible. He held her close, his hand tightly holding onto her upper arm. "Miss, we need to go"

"They are going to burn the village, aren't they?" Elyrie said with wide eyes as she tried to pull herself free. She saw Colonel Shinu lit up his fists.

"Miss, you need to go" Kun repeated as he tried to usher her away. She needed to get out of here. He had sworn to protect her and what would happen next, would haunt her forever.

"Kun, let go." She said as she pulled with more force.

"Miss, please," he tried again, "We really need to go."

"What are they planning to do?" she asked while focussing her blue eyes on him, "Tell me!"

"They are not going to burn the village," Kun replied with a hesitant voice, "They plan to burn the temple."

"Let go of me" she said with a voice of iron, not even raising it, "Now."

"Miss, you can't do anything to help them, please" Kun pleaded again as he reluctantly let go of her arm.

"One spark can cause an explosion" she answered before she turned around and sprinted back to the temple

"No!" she shouted as she made her way through the rows of soldiers. Surprised at the small figure pushing them aside, the soldiers did not react at first.

Then, one reached to grab her by the arm. Not too hard, since she was but a small girl after all. He instantly regretted that thought when she sent him flying.

Zhao had been watching the flames spreading onto the roof of the Temple. The cries inside grew louder and he heard fists banging on the walls.

Then, distracted by the commotion, he had turned around to see what was happening. And now he stared at the young woman, dumbfounded. _She was a bender?_ he thought with a surprised look.

Without hesitation, she had aimed a coordinated fire punch at the soldier. Not hard enough to seriously injure him, but forceful enough to knock him over.

"Stop her!" the Admiral screamed after he found his voice again. The soldiers moved in front of her, but she was fast. Too fast.

Zhao continued to stare at her as she avoided every attack. The soldiers seemed to go easy on her, but none of them were able to catch her.

When four soldiers blocked her way, she propelled herself off the ground. Flying over them, she landed a few feet away from the burning building.

"Shoot her!" Zhao yelled as he saw her flying over the men, pulling on the archer next to him.

The archer readied his shot to stop her, but was surprised by a swift kick which knocked his bow out of his hands. Then, he was floored by a punch straight into his face. For the second time that day, Zhao was dumbfounded when he saw Kun jumping over the unconscious archer as he ran to help the girl, kicking aside two men in the process.

Elyrie wasn't aware of Zhao's state of shock. As fast as she could, she ran towards the large doors of the temple. While the roof of the temple burned and spread warmth, she kicked against the wood. Unforgiven, the wood did not oblige. Her anger and frustration grew as she heard the screams grow louder inside the temple. Smoke poured out from under the door. She knew she did not have much time left.

Then, another figure next to her kicked against the wood. Kun had come through the help her. "Together" he said and she nodded, preparing her stance to simultaneously force open the door.

"NOW" Kun yelled as he lit up his foot, with Elyrie following his example. The wood finally broke.

The townspeople poured out, running and coughing. Spreading quickly, chaos ensued in front of the temple.

The few strong villagers, some of them earthbenders, pushed aside the attacking soldiers to let the women and children escape into the forest. Outmanned, the soldiers did not stand a chance against the running townspeople. The earthbenders send rocks flying to the soldiers, who were knocked over again and again.

A young woman, barely older than Elyrie, erected a stone wall between the door and the soldiers. Shielding the fleeing villagers from the fireblasts, the temple was almost empty as more people fled into the forest.

And the soldiers remaining, had enough trouble as it was to stop the fire kicks the young girl and Kun were sending their way. Over twenty soldier came along, but only a handful remained standing.

Elyrie displayed fire power, unlike what they had seen. And worst of all, she had not even received a single punch. Far too fast and agile, she seemed to dance around. She did not fight to hurt, but she effectively knocked out enough men.

Then, a wall of fire separated her from Kun and the remaining soldiers. Turning her head, she saw Zhao erecting the wall of flames around her. Returning to her fighting stance, she waited. And when he lifted his flaming fist, she moved into action.

Blocking his attack with a circular motion, she propelled herself again and shot a firekick his way.

"Have you lost your mind?" Zhao roared as he aimed another fireblast at her.

'On the contrary," she said, while dodging it with a grin, "I got it back"

Zhao roared in anger as he blasted another shot at her. Attacking in blind rage, he was too slow to hit her. As she landed in front of him, she gave him a strong kick. A kick straight to the chest, he was knocked over and landed on the unforgiving earth. Coughing, the impact had knocked the air out of his lungs. Catching his breath, he saw the last people leaving the temple, the few earthbenders remaining attempted to retreat to the forest as well.

He had enough.

"Stop!" Zhao's voice roared over the sounds of bolders, fire and screams. Elyrie turned around and saw he held the little boy by his arm. It was the black-haired boy she saw in the temple. "Or the kid pays the price!"

"Mommy!" the boy cried as he tried to pull himself free from Zhao's grasp. A woman, his mother, cried out and ran towards her son. The young earthbender stopped her and needed all her strength to contain the struggling woman.

"You unimaginable bastard" Elyrie hissed as Zhao.

"If you do not stop, this child pays the price" he repeated, his eyes full of anger.

Holding up her arms, she motioned her surrender. Two soldiers grabbed her by her arms and held them back, forcing her to bent forward. Next to her, Kun was forced into the same position as well.

Zhao pushed the boy down, who ran straight into his mother's arms. The young earthbender pushed them into the forest by bending the ground forward, but was forced to surrender when four soldiers grabbed her.

Zhao slowly walked towards Elyrie, still full of rage about the stunt she pulled. Looking around, he saw half of his men lying on the ground. Only three earthbenders were captured, while most of the villagers had escaped during the chaos. Behind him, he heard the creaking sound of wood, as the construction of the temple finally gave in. With a loud crash, the building collapsed.

The whole ordeal had taken less than ten minutes. But in those ten minutes, his whole plan had been smashed into pieces.

"When we return, you will marry me and I will show you how a proper woman behaves!" he yelled, as small bubbles of foam formed around his mouth.

 _He has lost his mind_ , Elyrie thought as she watched the Admiral. Nothing remained of the collected, cunning Admiral.

"I will never marry you" she stated calmly as she straightened her back, forcing herself to stand erect as the soldiers continued to hold onto her arms.

"You can choose me, or the dungeon" Zhao said as he placed his face right in front of hers with a cruel smile.

Without breaking eyecontact, she inhaled. And then, she spat in his face with all the disgust she could bring up.

For the third time, Zhao stood dumbfounded. But his surprise did not last long, as he straightened his back and wiped his face clean with a handkerchief. Then, he took a step forward and slapped her across the face with all the anger he had inside of him. Her face snapped to the side, but she made no sound. Not even a cry escaped her lips. She simple turned her face to look at him. Her blue eyes glimmered with hate and her mouth was twitched in a arrogant smile. She said nothing, but her eyes said everything.

_Never bent, never broken._

His temper flared and he grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulling her up so her face was a mere inches from his.

"You can spit and fight all you want," he said in a low voice, vibrating with anger, "But one way or another, you shall be my wife."

He roughly pushed her back against the soldiers. "Lock her up and make sure she stays there until we reach the North Pole." He barked at them without taking his eyes of the young woman.

As Zhao watched her being taken away, he was fuming with anger. With a loud roar, he turned around and shot a fireblast at the surrounding houses.

"Burn it all!" he yelled at the remaining soldiers.

As he saw the flames take over the town, he felt a sense of calm coming over him. The villagers may have escaped, but nothing shall remain of this treacherous town.

And nothing shall remain of the Northern Water Tribe, he vowed.

* * *

**This chapter was inspired by the movie _The Patriot_. The creators of _Avatar TLA_ based the character of Zhao on Colonel William Tavington, which inspired me to use part of the story for my own story. We all know Zhao is not a man of honour and by adding this chapter, I wanted the show the horrors of war and how they always hurt the innocent. Also, it gave me an opportunity to let Elyrie finally use her skills as a firebender and fight Zhao on equal ground.**

**I hope you liked this chapter!**


	22. Broken Spirits

For the next three days, Elyrie received no food and barely more than a few sips of water a day. Her spirit needed to be broken, she knew that was Zhao's plan. Obedience without question.

After the attack on the village, she was restrained and taken to the harbour. Placed in an empty cell at the lowest deck of the flag ship, she was forced to wait.

And she did, for three whole days.

The cells were small, barely larger than her closet in the Stronghold. With just enough space to pace two steps, she felt like a caged animal. The metal cell was cold and unforgiving, especially so far below the surface. Mentally thanking Uncle for his lessons, she used the fire breathing technique to keep herself warm.

The first few hours, she banged on the door of the cell like a madwoman. Screaming and yelling, she banged her fists against the cold metal. Screaming until her voice gave out, she demanded to know what happened to Kun. Her dear friend, who had helped her and the townspeople. She had seen him being taken away by other soldiers, but what could have happened to him?

She knew if Zhao planned to punish her severely, she would most likely be receiving very little or no food and water. But what about her friend? Her loyal friend, who risked everything to help her train? It made her insides squirm at the thought of what Zhao was about to do to him.

After what felt like hours, she simply stopped screaming. Nobody could hear her this far below. And even if someone heard her, they would not answer her.

So she waited.

Minutes. Hours. Days.

So far below in the insides of the ship, there was no daylight. No indication to tell what time of day it was, or even to say if it was night or day. She counted the moments the guard comes to get her, which she assumed was in the morning and the evening.

So the only exercise she got, was if a guard brought her a jug of water. And with that, she got the opportunity to visit the dirty bathroom twenty metres from her cell. But not before she was cuffed behind her back, with the heaviest metal cuffs she ever felt to prevent her from bending. She already cursed herself for her stupidity to show her bending to Zhao, but what choice did she have? But that knowledge did not make the treatment any better.

The temptation to run was always present, but she resisted the urge. Six times she sees the guard and six times, she obliged his requests. It is no use to fight now. Not when she was in the deepest darkest parts of the ship, surrounded by at least a hundred trained soldiers.

Dirty, disgusted and tired, that is how she felt. She felt weak. She had never experienced something like this. Complete isolation from everything, even basic hygiene and food.

And that was not even the worst part. The worst of all this was that she did not know what would come next. What was Zhao planning to do with her?

If he wanted her dead, she would already be executed by now. Zhao never waited around to show his power, especially not now with the entire navy present. The same goes for imprisonment in the Capital, she would already be sent that way as a traitor if that was the case.

 _You can spit and fight all you want_ , Zhao's voice echoed in her head, _but one way or another, you shall be my wife._

She was to be kept alive then and be taken to the North Pole, but how long would it take to get there? She knew they had not left the harbour yet, she could feel it in the vibrations of the sea. She knew how a moving ship felt and this was certainly not it.

* * *

After losing complete track of time, she heard the metal lock open. Based on the forceful nature, she had no doubt it was Zhao. He expected to see her broken into obedience and shivering.

 _Very well, then_ , she mused. She had come to this decision at the end of the first day already. Because the one advantage of solitary confinement, is that you have more than enough time to think. And thinking, she did.

For this time to convince Zhao she was broken into obedience, she had to go all the way. The first time, she was sure he was not convinced, especially after the singing on Zuko's ship. He wanted to see her broken, so she was to give him that. _Eyes on the prize and beat him at his own game_ , she repeated in her head.

She was so hungry, so tired. All the energy had drained. To survive in this situation, she needed to really convince him. So she remained seated on the dirty, cold floor. Her knees pulled up against her chest, she started to shiver and looked down when he entered.

His silhouette was in stark contrast with the light coming from behind him. She had to blink a few times, her eyes used to the complete darkness of the cell.

"Life will be easier for you, if you accept you must be seen and not heard. Because no one wants to hear what you have to say." Zhao blurted out as he saw the shivering girl on the floor. She looked smaller, with her curls undone and the dark circles around her eyes. Her hands trembled and her lips had become a blue-ish shade.

She bit her lip and looked down, feigning humility. _Broken prisoners did not respond to such taunts_. All she did was nod, which even took a lot of effort. She did not have to pretend she was exhausted.

Zhao smirked at the sight of the broken girl. She looked tired and beaten-down. And even if she was not yet completely subdued, he had one more trick on his sleeve. _But that was for tomorrow_ , he thought with a mental grin.

For now, she could come out of the cell if she behaved.

"Up!" he demanded as he turned around and walked out of the cell.

Leaning against the wall, she tried to stand up. Shaking on her legs, she had to be supported by the guards. One foot in front of the other, she walked the long corridor without help. The stairs were the worst, but she managed with all the energy she had left.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached a room at the highest level. The doors swung open and she squinted her eyes at the bright light of the setting sun that shined through the large windows. The stay in the cell surely deteriorated her eyesight. But after blinking a couple of times, she could make out a filled tub and a large, comfortable bed.

She mentally thanked the one who had arranged this for her, most likely Jin. The guards left her alone and she practically pulled her clothes from her body to get into the warm water and the sweet-smelling soap. Diving under and washing her curls, she started to feel like herself again.

She almost fell asleep in the tub, but was startled by a soft knock.

"Dinner!" she heard an unfamiliar voice say before she heard the footsteps disappear. As if her stomach knew, it growled at that moment. Rushing out of the tub and into her dressing robe, she opened the door.

On the floor was a tray with a piece of bread and a bowl of light soup. The smell alone made her feel weak in the knees.

Picking up the tray, she sat down on the bed and forced herself to eat slowly. She knew if she stuffed everything in her mouth now, it would only come back up. So she practiced her discipline, or what was left of it anyway.

She had just enough energy left to place the tray on the floor before she fell asleep.

She had been tired, beaten-down and hungry. But broken?

Never.

* * *

"Jin has been send away. I have assigned a new handmaiden for you when you return to the Capital." Zhao said the following day when he woke her up past noon with a forceful knock. His hands placed behind his back, he observed her reaction. He did not want to take another risk by letting her out, only to see her turn against him again.

At that moment, Elyrie felt her anger resurface. She wanted to claw his eyes out. To burn him to a crisp. To pull out those stupid looking sideburns until she wiped that arrogant smile from his face.

But again, she did not move a muscle. This is exactly what he wanted, to isolate her from everything. Making her feel alone in the world, completely dependent on him.

So she only nodded, still looking down. She did not dare to ask about Kun, not yet.

"Very well", Zhao said after a few more seconds of silence, "Clean up for tea in an hour." And with that, he left and slammed the door behind him.

Elyrie let herself fall back into the soft pillows. She had slept well into the day, that is how exhausted she was. Snuggling back into the soft blankets, she sighed deeply and started to think about her situation.

She knew she had nowhere to go now. No connection who would take her in after it had become public she left the Admiral of the Fire Nation Navy.

She might as well be banished.

She sat up right. Could she do that? She could join Zuko as a banished Fire Nation citizen. Technically not banished, but a frowned upon citizen. Would they take her in?

Uncle certainly would. But then, they would return to the Fire Nation if they captured the Avatar. If, not when. She was not sure they would ever be able to capture Aang or that she wanted to be part of that plan.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she pushed the blankets back and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She would not think about that now, she would do that tomorrow. For now, she had to made it through tea.

Looking in the large mirror, she saw her curls sticking out and her pale face drained from every hint of colour. _Well, this might take some time_ , she mentally sighed before tying her hair back into a knot.

* * *

"I am devasted to hear about Prince Zuko. Just devasted"

Zhao hit his wicked smile behind his cup. His fiancée may have been broken into obedience, but this would be the final blow to crush her spirit completely. And then, she finally be the obedient, dutiful woman she was suppose to be.

Something inside Elyrie splintered. She heard the words, knew their meaning and yet, they meant nothing.

Nothing.

Her mind was empty, her voice gone. No thoughts, nothing to make sure she grasped the meaning of the words. She felt her knees weaken, almost giving in. Her head began to spin. She needed all her strength to remain standing upright.

"I-...I am so sorry for your loss" she said to Iroh, her mind working on autopilot. She felt empty, nothing seemed to make sense.

Iroh rose from his seat and walked to the trembling girl. Placing a hand on her cheek, he tried to give her a reassuring smile but she did not look at him. She stared, as if she was unable to register anything.

"Would you please escort her back to her room?" General Iroh asked to the soldier standing behind him. Elyrie felt herself shake her head as she stumbled backwards, but the soldier placed his hand on her back to steady her. His touch was gentle and surprisingly tender. She would surely have fallen over if he had not caught her in time

"Please excuse me" she managed to say as she walked outside.

The soldier followed close, no doubt to catch her if she would faint. She felt like fainting but forced herself to remain standing. She did not remember walking back to her room, but somehow she made it.

When she reached her door, she leaned against it and grabbed her midriff. Catching her breath, she opened the door and absentmindedly thanked the soldier.

Then she closed the door and fell down. She caught herself when her legs gave out and leaning on her arms, she felt her breathing being shallow as if she had run for miles and miles.

Her throat hurt from the tears she had held back and she coughed a couple times to try to relieve the pain. To no effect.

She placed her hand in front of her mouth to stifle her cries, but allowed the tears to flow freely.

Dead. Gone.

Fully dressed, she made her way to her bed and laid her head down, feeling her tears continuing to stream down her cheeks.

She cried herself to sleep that night.

* * *

On the other side of the door, Zuko leaned against the door and listened to her soft cries. Placing his forehead against the wooden door, he closed his eyes and felt guilt taking over him.

"I am so sorry." he whispered.


	23. Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken

"Why can't I tell her? She would never –" Zuko began as he looked at his Uncle.

"No!" Iroh interrupted him. "It is for your own safety." He looked at the wounded face of his nephew, the results of the brutal attack on his life. His left eye was already permanently scarred, but his right eye had bruises as well. His lips, nose and cheeks were wounded as well, although it slowly started to heal.

"Zhao wants you dead," he continued with a pained voice, "And our plan is working perfectly. If he even suspects you might still be alive, all your chances are lost."

"But Uncle, you know as well as I that she is hurting." Zuko pleaded again, his voice strained as he remembered her quiet sobs through the door. She had looked exhausted when he saw her at tea that afternoon. Her cheeks looked more hollow and her eyes had dark circles under them. When Uncle told her about the attack on his life, he saw the little colour remaining in her face disappear.

He could say nothing to comfort her. He had to hide in plain sight, for his own safety.

But he had reacted when she stumbled backwards, fearing she would fall over. Luckily, Uncle was quick to react to order him to bring her back to her room. And when he had placed his hand on her lower back, he felt a small shock. She seemed to feel it too, since she straightened her back and walked out with her head held high.

The entire way back to her room, he closely walked behind her. He wanted so badly to speak to her, to comfort her and to embrace her that he had to constrain himself to hold back.

"Zuko, it is also for her safety." his Uncle answered, "The attack was also meant to hurt her."

Zuko's thoughts were interrupted and his eyes snapped back to his Uncle's, confused and angered.

"What do you mean?" he said with a low grow. _Who would dare to touch her? She wouldn't hurt a fly_ , he thought as he remembered her compassionate nature.

"She was not sick the past three days, as we were told." Iroh replied in a low voice, "She was being held in the cells below deck."

He had asked around by the crew about the wellbeing of the girl. Shin, the cook who had served on his ship as well, told him about the situation. Shin knew, because he had supplied the food the first day and heard from the other guards what actually happened to her.

"What?!' Zuko exclaimed as smoke started to come out of his flared nostrils.

"Keep your voice down!" Iroh said while pushing his nephew behind a boiler, out of sight of the other soldiers. "If you promise to control your temper, I'll tell you." he added while turning his head to see if they truly were alone.

Zuko did not answer, but gritted his teeth as a response. Iroh took that as a 'yes'.

"She defied Zhao and fought against him to save a village from his wrath." Iroh said, "Zhao wanted to burn all the villagers in a Temple, but she broke them out and fought against the soldiers."

"She rebelled against Zhao and knocked over his soldiers to prevent a mass murder?" Zuko answered with raised eyebrows, "All by herself?"

"Not entirely, but she was the only one who was brought back to the ship to endure her punishment here." Iroh replied, while stroking his beard, "But you saw for yourself how exhausted she looked."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zuko roared, his blood heating up and his nostrils flaring again. _Does he want me to kill Zhao right now?_ , he mentally cursed.

"The stay below deck was to break her will, and the news of your death was to be the final blow." Iroh explained to his nephew, "What do you think will happen to her if she steps out of line another time?"

Zuko did not respond, but Iroh looked at the metal pipe Zuko had placed his hand around. His knuckles were white and the pipe was deformed, the metal glowing red from the heat generating from his hands.

"You want to know how you can help her?" Iroh said as he placed his hand on the shoulder of his nephew to calm him, "Stay hidden until we reach the North Pole and the Avatar is yours, then you can regain your place at court and take her away from this."

"Uncle, she is not the type of woman to throw herself into fits of emotions." Zuko tried another time, "She is not foolish enough to- "

"But she does have emotions, Prince Zuko. Do not forget that" Iroh interrupted again in a calm voice, "You cannot expect her to play along with a secret that so dangerous for the both of you."

* * *

Elyrie had spend most of her free time in her room, trying to comprehend the situation. She was still able to eat and breath, but she did it on autopilot. She was not present in the moment. She was not even present in the past.

She just stared, having no thoughts at all.

She sat on her bed with her favourite book, a romance novel, lying in her lap. She did not read it, but opened it and picked up the dried rose she had kept inside. The rose Zuko had gifted her.

She felt that she should be crying uncontrollably, but she seemed to be done. She felt a odd sense of calm coming over her. There was one good thing that came out of this horrible situation: she knew Zhao had told her the dreadful news to crush her completely. To isolate her even further and to make her desperately depended on him.

And desperate, that was the one thing she was not. Though her whole being ached for the loss of Zuko, while her heart bled and her blood froze whenever she thought of him, it also made her realise that she had absolutely nothing to lose anymore.

If anything, this whole ordeal only made her more determined to get out of this horrible place. As soon as they returned to the Fire Nation, she would leave. Fleeing into the icy tundra was simply impossible, so she had the wait for her chance to disappear.

 _Why did I ever think this engagement would be the right decision?_ Elyrie mused as she placed the book back on the shelf. Grieving is a luxury she did not allow herself right now, that would come later.

 _"Affection is desirable, money is absolutely indispensable_." She heard her aunt repeat in her head. Those were the words of advice when they had discussed Zhao's marriage proposal all those months ago.

Money was indeed necessary, but nobody had told her how much money was necessary. They just assumed she would need the amount she was used to.

The Fire Nation did not discriminate on gender, although it was somewhat more expected of noble women to submit to a man. The pressure to marry was indeed present in the circles she had grown up in, but lower class women had opportunities in the Fire Nation. She could leave with all her jewels and sell them on the way for basic needs. She could go to a village in the middle of the Fire Nation where nobody knew her and maybe even become a teacher there. She had the knowledge for it. She might not have the opportunity to have the same amount of wealth she was used to with her parents, but she could survive on her own.

As long as she did not marry Zhao, the house and the inheritance remained legally hers. Besides, she knew her parents would rather see everything being burned down to the ground than that their only daughter would be trapped in this situation.

She might not live the life she was used to, but it was better than this. Anything would be better than this.

* * *

Zuko had observed Zhao's interaction with Elyrie the past days as their journey went on. And everyday, he found a new reason to despise the man. To him, Elyries intelligence and her confidence were nuisances, rather than qualities to be encouraged.

Zuko remained close by, to keep an eye on her. He was not sure what Zhao planned for her if she stepped out of line, but he would not wait around to find out. That deceitful man tried to break her will, subdue her mind and silence her voice. And when he had watched her stumble that night, he feared Zhao might have succeeded.

She was silent during the moments she spend with Zhao and Uncle, simply listening and only answering when someone asked her something. Even when Uncle asked her something, she only replied in a quiet voice and gave minimal answers. She mostly kept to herself, head down and silent.

Zhao only smiled at this, content with her behaviour. Uncle sometimes gazed at her with a look of concern at her quiet demeanour.

But after only a day, Zuko was glad to see that the old Elyrie had not disappeared. He saw her fiery spirit, but only in flashes.

When observing closely, he saw the glimmer of defiance in her eyes. The slight pouting, the curling of the edges of her lips. The clear blue eyes, paying attention to every word being spoken. Picking up everything, processing and storing it.

And every time, she conveyed the same message: _Unbowed, unbent, unbroken._

He was surprised he still remembered her little quirks, her small tics to pick up on her mood. He knew she was not broken and that she would never break. She had a strength to her which could whether any storm, one that came from deep within her. The little firecracker he knew from his childhood shined through the woman she had become.

Uncle once compared her to a Fire Rose, which hides his thorns beneath the surface. Like a rose, bending in the wind, she adapted to every situation. She had done it again now: by keeping her head down, she fooled Zhao into believing her complete submission.

And like all flowers, she would eventually bend towards the sun.

* * *

"Soot, I've seen it before," Sokka said while he grabbed a handful of grey snow, "Right before my village was attacked."

While examining the flakes of black snow falling down on the frozen landscape of the North Pole, the blue-eyed warrior sighed. "It is soot combined with snow" he repeated as he stood up and looked out over the sea.

"But why?" the sweet voice of the white-haired Princess asked, while placing her hands against her cheeks in confusion.

"It's the Fire Nation, they've closed in on the North Pole" Sokka answered while looking back at her with a feeling of dread coming over him, "And from the looks of this stuff, I'd say there's a lot of them."

The pair looked out over the endless sea, where the blue sky was darkened by a dark grey cloud heading towards them.


	24. History Has Its Eyes On You

The cold wind stung on her skin, but Elyrie remained on the private deck. Leaning over the golden railing, she had longed for the fresh air and inhaled deeply. The cold air tingled in her lungs. She smiled as she looked over the endless sea. Standing on the Zhao's flagship, they lead the Fire Nation Armada to the North Pole for the attack. The past days, dark clouds had accompanied them on their way to the icy North. But this early morning, the sun had broken through the clouds at last.

She smiled when she felt the sun warm her face. She cherished the warmth it gave her, for she had a thick coat over her shoulders to protect her from the icy winds. She hid her hands in the pockets of her dress, which was lined with fur. The air had grown colder as they approached the North Pole.

Behind her, a soldier watched as the sun illuminated her alabaster skin. The rays of sunshine danced through her hair, brightening the red in her auburn curls. When she turned at the sound of the door opening, he could see her face. Her blue eyes were the same colour as the dark blue sea behind her. _It looked like the sun had broken through just to shine his golden rays on her_. Zuko mentally shook his head at his thoughts, but smiled under his mask.

Then, his attention shifted to the pair that entered the private deck. Elyrie did the same as she bowed and lowered her eyes when Uncle nodded to her with a smile. Zhao barely gave her a glance. Slowly, she took a few steps back to give the two men more space. But she did not leave the deck. Instead, she waited and listened to the conversation of the men. Conversation might not be the correct word: it was more a monologue, with Uncle occasionally agreeing with the Admiral.

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh" Zhao said with a smug look on his face, "Just think, centuries from now, the people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization." He proudly lifted his chin as he said it.

 _It did not sound like something you would want to history books to write about_ , Elyrie thought as she repressed a shudder. She estimated they would arrive tomorrow morning at the North Pole. And she feared what would happen then.

"You are lucky you're here to see it" Zhao continued as he glanced sideways to his General.

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral", Iroh did not turn to look at Zhao, but kept watching the waves in front of him, "History is not always kind to its subjects".

Zhao clenched his jaw at this. "I suppose you speak from experience," he replied smoothly, "But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure of Ba Sing Se."

Elyrie bit her lip harder to repress her irritation. Unbeknowst to her, the soldier behind her did the same thing to hold himself back to send a fireblast at the arrogant Admiral. Iroh on the other hand did not react. "I hope not, for your sake" he simply replied.

"Tell the captains to prepare for first strike" Zhao ordered without turning to the General. "Admiral," Iroh replied in a serious voice, "as your miliraty consultant, I must advise you plan your attack carefully. The waterbenders draw their power from the Moon, and it is nearly full tonight. This means it will probably be full moon when we reach the North Pole."

"Oh, I'm well aware of the Moon problem" Zhao said as he let his hand go over his sideburn. His eyes looked over the oceans, as if was lost in thoughts.

"If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises, they will be undefeatable" Iroh urged again. But yet again, Zhao did not respond.

After a few seconds, he finally answered "I assure you, I have everything under control." Elyrie raised her eyebrows at his calm demeanour, as did General Iroh. For him, the attack on the Northern Water Tribe was badly planned from the beginning. If they arrive when the moon is full, no Armada could take the icy fortress.

"I intend to remove the Moon as a factor" Zhao suddenly said with a large grin on his face. He enjoyed the confusion on the face of the older General. "Remove the Moon? How?" Iroh said, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. Nobody could remove the Moon, that was simply impossible.

Zhao placed his hands on the golden railing, as he remembered his discovery from so many years ago. "Years ago, I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret" he said as he paused for the dramatic effect. Then he turned to the General as he said "The identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

He saw the look of surprise on the old man's face and he grinned. He knew about the respect General Iroh had for the Spirits, so this would come as a surprise.

"I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom," Zhao continued his story, "I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words 'Moon' and 'Ocean'." He saw the parchment clearly in his minds eye. The illustration of the koi fish, who descended upon the mortal world to protect the Water Tribes. Of course, he did not tell General Iroh this. This would be his victory, and his alone. "I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. And that is was my destiny to do so."

Elyrie's eyes snapped to Zhao. _So that's why he wanted to go the North Pole_ , she thought as she clenched her jaw. She knew he was ambitious, but this was pure madness. Uncle seemed to think the same thing. "Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!" he said in a warning tone as his kind eyes formed into splits.

"Yes, yes" Zhao said in a tone as if he was speaking to an impatient child, "I know you fear the spirits, Iroh" Iroh's eyes remained focussed on the Admiral with a weary look.

"I've heard rumours about your journey into the Spirit World, but the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of this word" Zhao continued as his eyes remained fixed on the horizon, "And now they will face the consequences."

As Iroh retreated without saying another word, Elyrie followed silently. As soon as they were out of reach, she softly tugged on his arm. Iroh, who had not heard the girl behind him, turned his head. Surprised, he looked at her with frowned eyebrows. The last days, she had not said a word unless someone specifically asked her something. And even then, she answered with barely a whisper.

"Uncle, what are the consequences of such an action?" Elyrie asked as she placed her small hand on the arm of the older General. Her voice was clear and calm, like the a ticking clock.

Again, Iroh looked up in surprise. This was the first time he had heard her speak in her normal voice since they had set course for the North Pole. He looked at the girl and the dark blue eyes gazed back, serious and sharp. Her shoulders were rolled back and her back was straight, with her chin lifted as she waited for his answer.

"Everything exists together in a delicate balance." Iroh explained as he studied her face. She listened closely, keeping her eyes directed at him. "Everything has its opposite: push and pull, water and fire, moon and ocean." He continued, "If something as vital as the moon would be eliminated, the balance would cease to exist."

Iroh repressed a shudder as he thought of the chaos it would unleash on the world. But he did not say this out loud. "But like I said, the spirits are not to be trifled with" he repeated in a reassuring tone as he patted her hand, "I don't think Zhao would be so foolish to go through with the plan."

Elyrie nodded when Iroh gave her a reassuring look as he patted her hand. She pulled her hand back and smiled, thanking him for his explanation. Then, she excused herself to return to her room. Because, despite what Uncle had said, she was everything but convinced Zhao would abandon his plan.

As soon as Elyrie was out of sight, Iroh turned to the soldier behind him.

"We will be landing soon, do you have a plan?" Iroh asked his nephew.

"I'm working on it, Uncle" Zuko answered as he removed his facial mask. For now, the only plan he could come up with was leaving in a canoe once the ship had reached the North Pole to row to the icy fortress.

* * *

Back in her room, Elyrie threw her cloak over her bed as she felt the fear creep up on her. As she let herself fall on the bed, she remembered the look in Uncle's eyes. She had never seen Uncle so distressed. He tried to hide it from her, but she had seen the fear in his eyes. Despite his reassuring words, she felt the cold hands of fear grabbing her heart. Uncle did not know about the months in preparation for this. Or how she had wondered why he had been so determined to attack the Water Tribe in his quest for the Avatar.

Uncle was wise, but he was also kind-hearted with a great respect for the Spirits. Zhao, she knew, was none of this. He was ruthless, ambitious and arrogant. The fact that he even considered such a blasphemous plan, made her even more sure of his determination to succeed.

She clenched her jaw as she cursed his ambition. Glory was not enough, he wanted to be a legend. An infamous legend which will tilt the balance of the world. She turned and turned as Zhao's plan occupied her mind. _The man was truly evil_ , she thought as she finally rolled on her back to stare at the ceiling. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks when she thought about his plans. But also, how he had wronged Jin and Kun to punish her.

She sat up straight and walked to her closet. Opening the closet, she found the small leather purse Jin and she hid in her widest clothing. Opening the purse, her locket and three rings fell in the palm of her hand. One ring was made of white gold and had a sapphire embedded in it. It had been her mothers engagement ring, one her father had made specially for her. The other two rings were the wedding rings of her parents, with their name engraved in them: Thyra and Jian.

She remembered the time she had looked up the definition of her parents names. Jian meant 'man of strength', while Thyra meant 'sacred thunder goddess'. And those names suited them. Her father had been a strong but patient man. Her mother had been a woman who let no one tell her what to do. She smiled at the memories which came flooding back, when they were together as a happy family. Warmth spread through her chest, like she had not known in many months.

As she let her finger caress the simple gold rings, she came to a realization. After the death of her father, she had lived in a fog. Unable to see ahead of her and unable to make concrete plans for the future. And when Zhao proposed, she accepted without a clear view of the future. The past months, all she seemed to be capable of was nodding and smiling.

Elyrie realised that she had been numbed by grief for more than a year. She had not cried, but instead had lost her inner fire. She agreed with the marriage out of obligation, she missed the strength to look further at her possibilities. With her father, she felt safe in their own world. Plans for the future had been far away, unneccesary even. She was sure her father would care for her, no matter what. But then he had died as well, which made her completely unable to do anything.

Now she finally realised she had been numbed by the grief of losing everyone she ever cared for. And with nothing to lose, she had complied to the will of others. Despite these dark thoughts, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She would still be complying if fate had not brought Zuko and Iroh back into her life. Her small rebellious act of giving him the location of the Avatar had sparked some of her old fire. And she finally had been able to come back to life on the ship, where nothing seemed to be expected of her. She was treated with kindness and was finally able to talk about her parents. _They brought me back_ , she mused as she placed the rings on the chain of her locket.

She looked down at her own engagement ring on her finger. Without hesitation, she pulled the pompous piece of metal off her ring finger and placed it on the desk. The white gold ring took it's place on her finger as she lovingly let her finger glide over the smooth sapphire.

Then, she cried. The dam was finally broken and she let her tears flow down her face without even bothering to wipe them away. She cried for everything that had happened. For the loss of her mother, her father and finally for Zuko. But at the same time, she felt relieved. The tears were not only tears of sadness, but also of peace. The realisation made that the flames in her heart were ignited after a long slumber and she felt stronger than ever before

She had been so blind for such a long time. Numbed and beaten down by grief, but she had emerged like a phoenix from the ashes. Zhao could not break her, but she was damned if she allowed anyone else to be the victim of his cruel deeds. Remembering the burning village, she came to a conclusion.

First, she would try to set all her wrongs right. Jin was most likely send back to her village, so she would make sure she send her a letter, along with some jewellery as a way to make amends. As for Kun, she needed to find out what had happened to him in order to help him.

She felt a wave of excitement go through her. The energy that came with it, made her heart pound faster. As she opened the red velvet box on her desk, she examined the ruby bracelets and emerald necklaces. _Surely, this was enough to feed a family for a couple of months_ , she mused as she held the stones against the lights. The sun, which came through the windows, made the stones lit up and coloured the walls of the room in a soft green colour.

She smiled as she put two bracelets, a ring and the necklace in the small leather purse. It could not be too heavy, for a hawk needed to carry it all the way over the sea. If needed, she could send more. Then, she picked up a piece of paper and dipped her pen in the ink on her small desk.

 _Dearest Jin,_ she began her letter. _I am sorry for what happened to you because of me. I know I cannot do anything for you now, but I hope this will give you and your family some means of…_

A soft knock startled her and she quickly placed a book over her letter. The figure that entered had kind eyes with small wrinkles around them. 'Uncle' Elyrie said, relieved.

Iroh frowned his eyebrows at the girl. He saw that her cheeks were stained and her eyes red, no doubt from crying. Her scared look at his entrance made him shudder. _She must live in a permanent state of fear_ , he thought sadly.

"I just came to bring you a nice cup of bracing tea" the old man said in a kind voice as he showed her a tray with a pot of tea and some sweet cakes. Elyrie smiled. "Thank you, Uncle" she said as she took the tray from him, "Would you like a cup as well?"

"I wish I could, dear" Iroh answered, "But I need to arrange the landing party for when we reach the North Pole."

"Landing party?" Elyrie repeated with a puzzled look, "Does the Admiral expect the invade the city right away?"

Iroh raised his eyebrows at her efforts to keep the conversation going. Nevertheless, he was pleased to see she seemed to do better. _If only I could tell her Zuko is all right,_ he mused as he watched her place the tray on the small desk, which stood against the wall of the room.

"Not exactly," Iroh answered after a few seconds, "But he wants a ship with fifty man as a division."

"To be send ahead instead of the full Armada at once, no doubt?" Elyrie said while smoothly covering up the sapphire ring she was wearing. Even though she knew Uncle would never betray her, it was better to keep her guard up.

"Exactly" Iroh said with an appreciative nod, "But if you will excuse me, I need to go"

"Of course" Elyrie said as she smiled at the older man. When he left the room, a concrete plan began to take form in her mind. _I will no longer be on the wrong side of history_ , she mentally told herself as she started her preparations.

* * *

" I want the first 50 men to prepare for the diversion!" Zhao's voice roared that evening through the intercom system of the ship.

Elyrie waited behind the door as she saw the selected division of men pass. They were preparing for their departure on the smaller ship, which was to be the first to attack the North Pole in the morning.

She scanned the men that walked by, carefully selecting them. The last one was roughly her height.

"I am sorry, but can you help me?" she asked innocently as stepped from behind the door. She blocked his way, so the rest of the men went around the corner of the corridor. When they were out of sight, she smiled sweetly at the confused soldier and extended her hand. In a reflex, the soldier grabbed her hand to help.

What happened next, he didn't remember. Only that he woke up in the dark corridor without his helmet or armour, but with his limbs tied together and a silk scarf pushed in his mouth.

* * *

**Next up: The Siege of the North! :)**


	25. The Siege of the North: Part 1

"Fire!" General Shu roared as he gave the order to launch the first fireball. The sounds of screeching metal filled the air as the enormous arm swung the flaming rock to the city in the distance.

Her heart pounding, Elyrie stood in the back row of the waiting soldiers. She saw the towers and walls of the Northern Tribe in the distance, surrounded by the large icebergs. Despite the sun, it was so cold that her breath crystallized when she exhaled.

It was freezing on deck, but the entire division needed to be present for the attack. The cold wind cut through the holes of the face masks all soldiers wore. Elyrie mentally thanked the nameless soldier for being much broader than she was, so her thick coat would fit underneath the armour. She had tucked her long hair underneath the helmet as well, both to be warm and so nobody would suspect anything.

Last night, she had noticed that most of the soldiers were young men. Some were even younger than she was. She understood that they were the bait. If the Water Tribe returned the attack, the men on this ship would become war prisoners. _Or worse_ , she thought as she felt a shiver go down her spine.

Every minute, she prayed that her courage would not desert her. She had come so far and there was no time to turn back now.

She winced when she saw the fireball hit the wall of ice. It crashed into the water symbol on the centre of the wall and blew a massive hole into the ice. Even from afar, she saw the smoke from the explosion.

"Another!" the General ordered when the soldiers ignited the second fireball.

Elyrie gritted her teeth while she looked at the General. The leader of this expedition was the viperlike General. The one who had sneered at her, the one who was responsible for Zuko's outburst all those years ago. She learned that his name was Shu, as she heard Zhao say when the smaller ship had departed.

"Fire!" the viperlike General Shu roared again. The trebuchet fired a second time and Elyrie followed the flaming stone. It looked like a comet that was about to strike the frozen city again. But then, she saw that an invisible force blew the stone out of his course and hit an iceberg instead.

"They prepare to attack!" she heard a soldier yell, "Everyone in position!"

Elyrie focused her eyes on the large figure that was flying through the air in the direction of the ship. _It must be Aang!_ she thought as she tried to make out the shape of the skybison. But in the hurry, she was pushed in line with the other soldiers.

* * *

"I'll take it from here, boy!" Aang yelled to Appa as he jumped off the saddle into a free fall. Just above the ship, he opened his glider and soared above it. He noticed the two enormous trebuchet, which were shooting the fireballs into the city. He needed to disarm the weapons first.

As he avoided the fireballs which were hurled in his direction, he landed on the deck. He blasted the first row of soldier away with ease. A soldier whirled around large chains, trying to capture him with it. Aang raised his staff to blast the man away, but he was too slow.

A small soldier aimed a precise attack at the man with the chains, heating up the metal. This led the man to release them in a reflex when his hand couldn't take the heath. Then, the soldier shot a fireblast with such force that he fell over the railing.

'What the..?" Aang murmured as he looked at the soldier. When the soldier blocked another fire attack, he flipped backwards to avoid the second attack. When he did this, the facemask fell down.

"You!" Aang heard the old General roar as the face mask fell. The 'he' was a 'she', as was evident by the full lips and long eyelashes.

The small soldier took the helmet off. Aang saw a waterfall of auburn curls fall down out of the helmet. Then, he recognized her.

"Elyrie!" he exclaimed, but he was interrupted when a large man aimed his war hammers in his direction. Evading the attack, he made his way to the trebuchet to disarm the weapon.

Swinging the helmet away, Elyrie shook out her curls. As she took her stance, she was unable to hide her smirk.

 _This is a match I have been wating for,_ she grinned as the General prepared to attack her. She quickly evaded his attack and returned the favour.

The General was an experienced firebender, she had to admit it. But he was at a disadvantage. Elyrie was far younger and more agile, while the Generals older style was more based on anger and brute strength.

And the second disadvantage was the cold weather. Firebenders were at a natural disadvantage in the cold climate. Elyrie compensated for this by using Uncle's fire breathing technique. The General, however, had work with whatever little energy the sun gave him now.

And most of all, she had a reason to fight. Her inner fire was set ablaze by her desire to make this old man pay for the hardships Zuko had endured. Her anger fuelled the fire even more, which made her feel undefeatable.

"The Admiral shall hear about this!" the General yelled at her, "My order will not be disrespected by a mere girl!"

With pointed fingers, she created the firewhips and slammed them in front of his feet.

"And I won't be intimidated by a dishonourable man!" she retorted as he stumbled backwards, brought out of balance by her attack.

She turned around to finish it with a firekick, like Kun had taught her. The General was blasted backwards over the railing and right into the icy waters of the North Pole.

 _How's that for holding a tongue?_ She thought with a small smirk.

Distracted, she failed to notice that the man with the war hammers aimed his attack at her. She ducked in a reflex, but was startled when a soldier stepped between them. He caught the chains and swung them over the railing, with its owner flying behind it.

With wide eyes, she stared at the soldier. But when he removed his helmet, she recognized him.

"Kun!" she exclaimed as a wide smile spread across her face. She wrapped her arms around his waist, since he was a lot taller than she was.

The young man was surprised at her fervent reaction and awkwardly patted her on the back.

"You are alright! Oh, I am so happy!" she continued as she let go of him. Kun smiled at her. "I'll explain later" he simply said.

They both turned around to see that Aang was trapped on the last catapult. Before either of them could move, something huge landed on the ship.

The enormous skybison landed on the deck and simply dropped the man who attack Aang into the water. Elyrie gaped at the enormous furry creature, who came to the aid of his friend. Then, she saw that a soldier wanted to blast a fireball at the animal. Elyrie quickly grabbed the arm of the man and spun him around, so he was knocked over.

The furry bison looked at her. Elyrie stared with large eyes at the famous creature and did not dare to move. Then, he nudged her with his enormous head, supposably to say thank you. It was meant to be soft, but it knocked her over nonetheless.

"Oof" she groaned as she fell on the metal deck, but smiled when Kun extended his hand to help her back on her feet. "Aang!" she said happy when the Avatar landed in front of her.

Aang quickly embraced the girl, thankful for her help. "This is Kun" Elyrie said as she motioned toward the young firebender.

He bowed his head in respect at the young airbender. "It is a great honour, Avatar" Kun said in a calm voice. Aang smiled brightly at him and turned back at Elyrie.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, before they felt the ship rumble. Elyrie looked over the railing and saw at least twenty waterbenders freezing the water around the ship.

"Aang, the Water Tribe is in danger! Zhao is planning something horrible!" Elyrie cried out as she saw all the waterbenders, remembering why she had come here in the first place.

"Worse than this?" Aang answered with a frown. _What could be possible worse than an entire Armada?_

"Far worse" Elyrie said with wide eyes and a slight tremble in her voice, "Please, I need to warn them."

"I understand" Aang said as he turned back to Appa. Appa seemed to like her and he trusted her. He had to hear what she had to say.

"Listen everyone!" Aang yelled to the waterbenders that entered the ship, "This girl needs to be brought to the Chief!"

"But she is-," a waterbender began as he pointed at Elyrie's Fire Nation armour.

"Yes, I know what she is!" Aang interrupted impatiently, "But she has valuable information."

"Can Kun come as well? He helped me" she pleaded. Aang nodded and gave the orders to the waterbenders before he flew off to the second ship.

The waterbenders, all men she noticed, looked at her and Kun with caution.

"If you feel safer, you may handcuff me" Elyrie said as she extended her wrists to the nearest waterbender. The man blinked his eyes at her, unsure of what to do. Her blue eyes focused on his. Her openness was disarming and the man grinned.

"I don't think that would be necessary." He said as he motioned for her to enter the canoe. Kun followed closely. She smiled inwardly. _Still my loyal guard_ , she thought as she gave him a warm smile.

He helped her in the canoe and when they were both seated, the canoe started to move. Intrigued, Elyrie watched as the two waterbenders started to move in unison, bending the boat forward with an impressive speed.

She shivered, suddenly aware of the fact she was in the middle of the icy northern sea. Underneath the armour, which she was still wearing, Elyrie had put on her warmest cloak. It was made of red velvety material and trimmed with white fur. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep her warm for the time being.

Kun, who had remained silent next to her, turned his head. "Are you cold, Miss?" he asked politely. "I think we can leave the 'miss' now" Elyrie said with a smile, "But I am fine, thank you."

"I am glad." Kun answered and returned his gaze to the approaching North Pole. Elyrie remained silent for a moment, but she was unable to temper her curiosity, "What happened to you after the attack on the village?"

Kun told about how he was kept below deck and used as part of the decoy as a punishment. He told her his story in a few words, like she was used to.

"But I am glad to see you are in good health" he answered, just in time halting himself when he wanted to call her 'Miss' again. He had heard the rumours about Zhao's abuse and her stay in the cells after they were separated.

Elyrie smiled as she looked at her sapphire ring, which had taken the place of the horrendous engagement ring Zhao had given her. "I feel wonderful" she said as she placed her hands over his.

* * *

After they arrived in the Royal Palace, Kun was requested to help with a secret mission to infiltrate the Navy. His knowledge was valuable to the warriors and he was more than willing to fight against Zhao at this point. Elyrie was instead escorted her to the private chambers of the Royal Chief.

As she walked through the Palace, she was amazed by the grandeur of the Northern Tribe. In her Fire Nation lessons, they described this place as primitive or backwards. But the city was beautiful, loaded with streams, waterfalls and fountains. Everything was made of ice, in a elegant and firm manner. She had gaped at everything as they passed through the canals on their way to the Royal Palace.

When she entered the room, she saw six people sitting cross-legged on blankets made of white fur. The Avatar she recognized, sitting on the far left, next to a young woman who was around her own age. She was beautiful, with hair as white as the snow that covered the North Pole and clear blue eyes, like the icy ocean.

In the middle sat a man, whom she presumed to be the Chief. He nodded at her, not unfriendly but cautious. Next to him sat a younger man, presumably his brother due to the resemblance. At last, an older man sat at the far right. The man was around seventy years old, but looked surprisingly agile for his age.

She approached them slowly with her head down as sign of respect. When she took off her hood, she saw them all looking at her with curiosity.

"Chief Arnook, this is Elyrie." Aang said. Elyrie gave a small nod as she bowed before the Chief.

"Welcome," Chief Arnook said as he rose from his seat to welcome her, "I am Chief Arnook". He spook in the Common Tongue, so they could understand each other.

"Thank you," Elyrie answered in her musical voice, "I am very grateful that you are willing to receive me."

Chief Arnook looked at the young woman before him. She had something vaguely familiar. He studied her face, which looked even paler in the blue light which lit up the room. She had fine features, with delicate cheekbones, a small nose and full lips. In the azure light, her eyes almost seemed the same blue as the Water Tribe citizens possessed. If this girl was Fire Nation, she certainly did not look like it.

"You have already met the Avatar," he continued, but he introduced the other attendees to her, "My daughter, Princess Yue"

Elyrie bowed again to the white-haired woman, who look at her with friendly blue eyes.

"My brother, Panuk" the Chief continued as he motioned to the younger man sitting next to him, "And Master Pakku" The older man did not gave her a nod, but kept looking stoically at her.

"Please, Elyrie" the Chief said as he motioned for her to sit down, "tell us why you have come here."

His sources told him that she was the fiancée of Admiral Zhao, who was leading the attack on the Northern Water Tribe. So why the girl was here, was a mystery to him.

"I have come here to warn you, sir" The girl said in a polite tone.

"About what, if I may ask?" he replied as he frowned his eyebrows. "According to my sources, you are about the be married to the admiral of the navy." he added as he saw the stone in her ring reflect the light.

"I think I burned that bridge after coming here" Elyrie answered in a firm tone, "But I have come because I need to inform you of the graveness of his intentions."

"You are very brave then" the younger man, _Panuk_ she remembered, said as he looked at the girl.

"Or very stupid" the older man said under his breath in the Water Tribe Tongue. Elyrie looked at him and saw that he looked at her with a look of condescension. But she was surprised, because she had understood what he had said.

"Master Pakku" Panuk said in a reprimanding tone.

"Worse than an attack on our culture?" Arnook asked with raised eyebrows. She straightened her back as she turned back to the Chief, who listened carefully.

In a clear voice, she continued: "Zhao plans to remove the Moon as a factor in this battle, since he knows the Water Tribe draws its power from it. I don't know how he will do this, but he spoke of the mortal forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirits. According to his sources, they reside here at the Northern Water Tribe." Her words did not miss their intended effect when she saw all eyes widen in shock.

"That is impossible" the Chief mumbled as he let her words sink in.

"I assure you, sir, that it is not" Elyrie answered, "I heard him say that he had stumbled upon this ancient secret "

"We know that there were rumours, but we don't even know what forms the Moon and Ocean Spirit took when they descended to our world" The Chief said as he looked at Master Pakku.

"Can we trust this girl?" the older man said, switching to the Water Tribe language again, "What if she is here as a decoy?"

As Master Pakku switched languages, Elyrie felt a shock go throughout her entire body. She knew this language, the Water Tribe language. It had been at least ten years when she last heard it, but it was unmistakable. It was the language her Mother had spoken to her throughout her entire childhood.

Inhaling deeply, she calmed her racing heart. "You don't have to trust me, sir" Elyrie smoothly replied in the Water Tribe language as well, "I just ask you to believe me."

The men turned their heads in shock when she replied without hesitation.

"Sir, I have absolutely nothing to gain by coming here on my own." Elyrie said, effortlessly speaking the language of her childhood, "I urge you to believe me, for your culture, your city and your lives depend on it"

After she had spoken, she bit her lip and remained quiet. She felt her heart pounding as she turned to look at Aang with a pleading look. They had to believe her, so they could take measures to protect themselves.

Aang nodded to her with a reassuring look in his grey eyes. He trusted her and he knew she spoke the truth. He had not forgotten how selflessly she had helped him in the Stronghold. He smiled inwardly when he thought of Appa, who had lovingly nudged the girl. Even if he had his reservations about her, they disappeared when his loyal bison gave her his approval.

The silence had lasted a while now, he noticed. Master Pakku found himself at a loss for words when she had replied fluently to his suspicious comment. The Chief was amazed as well, especially because she spoke almost without an accent. He realised she could not have learned this from books, she must have had a teacher _. A native from the Northern Water Tribe_ , he mused when he stroked his chin. The girl looked so familiar, but he couldn't place her. Why did she look so familiar?

"You speak our language?" the Chief finally said as he looked at the young woman with renewed interest.

Elyrie nodded. "My mother spoke it to me."

"Where was your mother from?" the Chief asked, trying to connect the dots. He had a gut feeling, but he needed to be sure.

"The Fire Nation colonies, but she always insisted on me learning as much languages as I possibly could." Elyrie answered proudly.

Then, Panuk's eyes widened in surprise when he looked her in the eyes.

"Thyra" he exclaimed.

Elyrie looked at the man, confused at his reaction. "No sir, my name is Elyrie" she said apprehensively. "But if I may, how do you know my mothers name?"

Panuk did not speak, but exchanged looks with his older brother. Uneasy, Elyrie looked at the Chief for help. He did nothing except stare at her.

Then, the Chief rose from his seat and approached her. She rose as well, following the proper etiquette. When he stood in front of her, his eyes searched her face. She was shorter than he was, yet seemed to be completely taken with her. Elyrie looked at him with a confused look. What was happening here? "You look so much like her" the man finally spoke, his voice trembling.

Elyrie understood that the man had known her mother, but it was still a mystery why he was so emotional. "How did you know my mother?" Elyrie asked again. The man let out a shaky breath. "She was our sister. She was born here, at the Northern Water Tribe."

That was something she had not foreseen. Her hands started to shake as she mumbled "A-are you sure?"

"Positive," the Chief said while examining her face. Her pale skin and reddish brown curls were a stark contrast with the chocolate waves and caramel-coloured skin his sister was known for. But despite her colouring, he now realized she looked exactly like his younger sister. The same heart-shaped face, the same small nose and full lips. Even her hands were the same: small and delicate, but with long fingers.

"Why? How? What happened?" Elyrie asked all at once after she had found her voice again.

"She was to be married to a young man from this Tribe, yet she resisted. She wanted to be married for love, not out of duty." Panuk said. He had approached her as well and looked at the young woman, "She always had a will of iron."

Elyrie's cheeks heated up at the attention. "So she left?" she asked while looking at the two men. _My family_ , she thought pensively. This could not be happening, but at the same time could it not be a coincidence.

"Yes," the younger man answered, "But she kept contact by sending letters, sporadically. It was enough for us to know she was safe and happy."

"She never told me." Elyrie mumbled as the memories resurfaced, "All I knew was that she told me she was from the colonies, to explain her dark skin and blue eyes. She met my father there." As she started to twist her little finger, she searched her memories for clues, "He must have known about her heritage, but kept it from others. Even from me."

She needed to be a hundred precent sure, so she took the golden necklace and placed it in the palm of her hand. With trembling fingers did she open the locket and showed the picture to the two men.

"Is this your sister?" she asked in a small voice. The Chief looked at the picture and she saw tears welling up in his eyes. "Yes, that is our darling Thyra." he said with in a stifled tone.

"Are you a waterbender?" the white-haired princess asked with a small smile. She had observed the conversation with amazement and could no longer contain her curiosity.

"No, Your Highness. I am a firebender." Elyrie said proudly. To strengthen her words, she lit up a small flame in the palm of her hand. The princess stared in awe, while her father looked uncomfortable at her. "I think my parents were relieved I did not inherent my mother's genes on that part, since it would have been harder to hide that. "

"Thyra was not a bender, but she often watched us practice" Panuk said. Elyrie remembered the moves her mother had taught her. Now she knew why they differed so much from the basic firebending forms: they were waterbending techniques.

"Did you not suspect anything?" Panuk asked as he took the locket from his older brother.

"No sir," Elyrie said as she frowned, "But it does explain a lot things now I think of it."

Her memories brought her back to everything her mother had taught her. And only now did she realise how it differed from the way other Fire Nation children were raised. She felt tears welling up.

It was Master Pakku who ended the moment. He coughed to gain the attention of the Chief, his brother and Elyrie. "I hate to interrupt this beautiful reunion, but what are we going to do about the attack?"

"I know the importance of balance, even more now I know I am connected to it as well." Elyrie pleaded as she felt her fear resurface, " I could not let Zhao allow this treacherous plan to continue."

Arnook looked at her and finally smiled. "We believe you."

* * *

Barely a kilometre away, a young man was preparing an escape plan as well. The kayak, which was made of the lightest material, was hanging in front of him above the water. The man was dressed in grey, fur lined clothing to keep him warm from the freezing temperatures.

"If you are fishing for an octopus, my nephew," he heard a voice behind him say, "You need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape."

Without turning around, Zuko sighed. "I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle" he said tersely. His nerves were already getting the better of him, because his plan was fairly desperate.

"I'm sorry" Iroh said as he watched his nephew fumble with the ropes, "I just nag you, because, well-"

Zuko heard the voice of his Uncle breaking slightly. He felt his chest constrict.

"Ever since I lost my son,-" his Uncle continued, holding back the tears which constricted his throat.

"Uncle," Zuko said softly, "You don't have to say it."

"… I think of you as my own."

Zuko turned around to look at his Uncle with a soft expression on his face. He felt the warmth spread through his body at the words of his Uncle, but he quickly shook off his feelings.

"I know, Uncle. We'll meet again" he said as he bowed for his Uncle, but Iroh wrapped his arms around him. Zuko answered the hug briefly, before he turned away and got on the boat. "After I have the Avatar."

"Remember your breath of fire! It could save your life out there" Iroh said as he saw Zuko lower his boat in the icy waters. "I will" Zuko answered.

"And put your hood up! Keep your ears warm!" Iroh added. "I'll be fine!" Zuko answered again, slightly annoyed.

Despite everything, Iroh smiled at his tone. He sounded like an impatient child, too stubborn to listen. _What he still is, actually,_ Iroh thought. He watched as his nephew peddle away until he disappeared behind the icecaps. _I have two stubborn children to worry about now_ , he said to himself when Zuko had vanished. Because what he failed to tell Zuko, was that no one had seen Elyrie for over a day.

He prayed everything would turn out all right in the end.

* * *

Elyrie was glad, not for the first time in her life, that she had an adaptable and flexible nature. Because what had happened to her in less than a day, was more than anyone could possible start to comprehend. That same day, the entire Royal Family was gathered to be introduced to their newest member. Her grandmother, an lively woman of seventy years, had wept when she saw her granddaughter. The entire time, she had hold onto Elyrie's hand to make sure she was really there. She also met her baby cousin, the son of Panuk, who had happily lifted his little fists when she held him. Despite the unfortunate timing, it had been a joyous occasion.

Princess Yue was eager to get to know her long lost cousin better. When twilight approached, the attacks on the city ceased and were they free to explore the city. With their arms locked, the two women walked the streets of the icy North Pole. She told Eyrie all about their culture and how the city came to be. Elyrie was eager to hear about a culture, which was part of her now as well. In return, she told Yue all about her life in the Fire Nation. The princess had led a sheltered life and was glad for a cousin her own age at last.

Aang had introduced Elyrie to Katara and Sokka as well. They were the Water Tribe siblings Elyrie had seen in the Temple, months ago. Katara was cautious, but trusted Aang's instinct and made Elyrie feel welcome. Sokka was more hesitant, but he was civil to her. It was more than she could have hoped for.

When the night had fallen, Yue took her to the balcony of the palace along with Katara and Aang for the most beautiful view. The night sky was a dark blue colour with a million lights in it. The moon bathed everything in a mysterious blue light.

Elyrie inhaled deeply. Despite the unexpected revelations, they still had a problem. They had no idea how to stop Zhao's plan. The Chief had ordered an emergency meeting to gather information about the Moon and Ocean Spirits, but no one seemed to know more about it. The force of the Armada made everyone worried, but the most looming threat was Zhao's plan. For centuries, nobody knew that there were physical forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirit.

"The legends say the Moon was the first waterbender", Yue said to Elyrie, bringing her out of her thoughts, "Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves"

"I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night." Katara said while gazing at the full moon in the sky.

"You are a waterbender?" Elyrie asked curiously. Katara nodded to her before she added "I am still training, but I have gotten much better at it."

"Interesting," Elyrie said while twirling a curl around her finger, "My bending is stronger during the day because firebenders draw their energy from the sun." Then, she chuckled and said "But it does explain why I'm not a morning person; that must be the Water Tribe gene"

The three girls chuckled, but Aang remained quiet. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Like Sokka, he had grown increasingly anxious as the night passed. Sokka had stayed behind to search in the library for information on the Fire Nation, but as far as anyone knew there was no additional information to be found.

"You could be right about that," Yue said to Elyrie, "Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep the balance."

"The spirits!" Aang suddenly exclaimed as he lifted his head, "Maybe I can find them and get their help!"

"How can you do that?" Yue asked with a puzzled look. Elyrie turned around as well to look at the young Avatar, whose face had lit up.

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World," Katara explained, "Aang can talk to them."

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" Yue said with hope in her eyes.

"Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang exclaimed as he waved his arms in his excitement.

There fell an uncomfortable silence. Elyrie blinked her eyes at him, while Yue and Katara gave him odd looks.

"Or wisdom," Aang said as he straghtend up, "That's good, too."

"The only problem is," Katara said pensively, "Last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?"

"I have an idea!" Yue suddenly said as she motioned for Aang to follow her, "Follow me!"

Then, Yue turned to Elyrie with a small frown. Not everyone was allowed into the Spirit Oasis, so she was unsure whether Elyrie could accompany them.

Elyrie saw her hesitation and shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry," she said in a calm voice, "I understand that is a private thing. Good luck!"

Then, she walked back inside the Palace. She would be unable to sleep anyway, so she decided to join Sokka in the library.

She found him bent over maps of the Earth Kingdom. He was sitting near the fire, with maps and books scattered all over the table. A steaming pot of tea was standing amidst the chaos.

"The back-up forces are here" Elyrie said as she pointed over his shoulder to the Pohuai Stronghold. She recognized the part of the Earth Kingdom where she had spent months inside the walls of the fortress.

Sokka was startled. He had not hear her come in.

"I did not mean to startle you" she said as she took a step back.

"You did not" the warrior answered, almost indignantly. Elyrie repressed a smile at his tone. "May I?" she asked as she pointed to the pot of tea. He nodded and she poured two cups of tea, for herself and him.

"Have you found anything useful?" she asked as she sat down in the large chair next to him and picked up a book on Water Tribe history from the table.

"I haven't" he said as he slumped his shoulders. When he placed his fingers around the cup she had offered to him, he let the warmth spread through his body. Sipping his tea, he studied the girl as she opened the book and let her fingers glide over the pages.

He was still apprehensive about her presence here. She had been proven to be a valuable asset and willingly shared the information. But still, she was _Fire Nation_. He sighed as he rubbed his neck. He had learned his entire life that people from the Fire Nation are fundamentally evil. They took his mother, they were the reason he had not seen his father for many years. Zuko and Zhao had tried to capture them multiple times in less than three months.

Elyrie turned a page, oblivious to his conflicting thoughts. Her eyes flew over the pages which described the build and history of the Northern Tribe.

They sat in silence for quite some time.

"Do you hate the Fire Nation?" Sokka suddenly blurted out. Elyrie looked up with frowned eyebrows. "I am sorry?" she asked as she placed the book in her lap.

"Do you hate the Fire Nation? Is that why you decided to help us?" He asked as he straightened his back and let his hand go over his ponytail.

Elyrie sighed and closed her book. "No, I don't hate the Fire Nation" she answered as she twisted the sapphire ring around her finger.

"But you know Zhao, you saw the Armada." Sokka retorted, still trying to figure out her loyalties, "You choose willingly to abandon them."

"I did." She answered, choosing her words carefully, "I hate the war and I hate Zhao. He is a vile man and the war brings only misery to the world."

"But," she continued after Sokka opened his mouth again, "I do love my country. You have to understand that we learn from a young age that the war is not meant to bring destruction to the world. We are taught that the war is a way of sharing our greatness with the world."

She saw the surprise in Sokka's eyes, but he listened attentively. "The Fire Nation is a beautiful country, with a rich culture. It is filled with generous people who love their country so much they are willing to help expand its greatness so others can profit from it as well." She continued, "They are loyal people, but often misinformed about the ways of the war."

"So they believe that the Fire Nation is actually _helping_ others?" Sokka asked with his eyebrows raised.

"They do," Elyrie nodded, "We have no war on our grounds, so we have to rely on the information that the Royal Palace is giving us." She felt a sting in her heart as she thought of the Royal Family. _Zuko_ , she mused as she turned her ring around her finger.

"But why don't you believe this?" Sokka asked as he put his maps away.

"I was educated by my father, and he taught me the importance of balance and that there are meant to be four separate nations, like the elements." Elyrie said as she placed her book on the table as well, "Now that I think of it, it must be because my mother was from the Water Tribe."

"This gave me an advantage, but when I was engaged to Zhao" she continued as she shuddered, "I saw what war truly does to people. The innocent are the victims and that is why I refused to cooperate any longer." In her mind's eye, she saw the burning village and she heard the screaming citizens.

Elyrie sighed and looked out of the window, where she saw the first rays of sunshine reflecting on the ice. She felt the warmth spread through her body, her natural reaction to the source of firebending. "But I know that the world is not divided into Fire Nation and good people, it does not work like that. You have good people in every nation."

Sokka nodded slowly as he let her words sink in. He had never thought of it like this, but he thought of Jet and how he was willing to drown the innocent in his blind rage. He was from the Earth Kingdom, but he was a bad person. _She could be right_ , he mused as he stroked his chin.

"Sokka! Help!" they heard a feminine voice yell. Elyrie and Sokka looked up in alarm.

Princess Yue appeared, her cheeks flushed and panting from the running. Sokka immediately stood up and walked over to her, guiding her to a nearby chair.

"Yue, what happened?" he asked as he studied her face and tried to calm her.

She seemed too out of breath to speak, so Elyrie quicky started to pour tea from the tray that was standing on the table. _A bracing cup of tea always helps_ , she thought as she remembered Uncle's words.

"Katara was attacked by a firebender with a scar!" Yue cried, "He wants to capture-,"

The sounds of shattering ceramic stopped her in the middle of the sentence. Startled, Sokka and Yue turned to Elyrie. She had knocked over the tray and the teapot on the polarbear dog rug. The tea soaked the white fur, but she did not seem to notice.

Her blue eyes were impossibly large and her lower lip slightly trembled. "Scar? A scar across his left eye?" Elyrie stammered as she tried to connect the dots. _It cannot be possible._ She felt the colour draining from her face.

"Yes! A firebender, Katara seemed to know him." Yue said again.

Elyrie searched support against the massive bookcase. Her pounding heart actually _hurt_ , that is how wildly it slammed against her ribs.

'You know Zuko?" Sokka asked with wide eyes. Elyrie looked up and nodded, her throat still constricted.

"Elyrie, are you alright?" Yue asked as she saw her cousin lower herself on her knees. All the colour had drained from her face and her hands were shaking.

"I thought he was d-d-de-," she stammered again as she failed to form the last word.

She refused to believe it. This could not be possible. He could not be alive. Uncle had told her himself. _Why would he lie?_ Her mind raced, jumping from one conclusion to another.

"Elyrie?" Sokka said as he extended his hand to her to help her back on her feet, "We need to go to the Spirit Oasis."

She took his hand and exhaled. She had not realised she had been holding her breath. _What is one more surprise today?_ She thought dryly as she followed the pair.

"I can't believe that I lost him." Katara sat down on her knees in the grass, her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes were filled with tears.

Elyrie was torn between happiness about the news that Zuko apparently had survived the attack and was here on the North Pole. On the other hand, she was incredibly sad that he kidnapped Aang and took him. She felt the sting of guilt as she remembered she had once helped him trying to capture Aang.

She shook off the feeling, knowing it would not help her now. She looked around and studied the Oasis. She felt the warmth of the spiritual energy through her thick layers of fur. The waterfall softly clattered behind them as Elyrie knelt down in the grass next to Katara. Placing her hand on her shoulders, she tried to reassure her.

"You did everything you could," Elyrie said softly, "And now we have to do everything to get him back." As she rubbed Katara's shoulders in a soothing way, she watched the two koi fish in the pond before her. They were swimming in a circular pattern, the white and black colours of their scales contrasting.

"Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him," Sokka said in a firm tone, "Aang's gonna be fine."

"Is the small door the only way out of here?" Elyrie asked as she watched the massive walls of ice that surrounded the Oasis. They were at least 30 feet high, she estimated.

"Yes." Yue answered and she looked back at the sobbing Katara, kneeling next to her as well.

"What is up there?" Elyrie asked while pointing upwards, as her eyes following a narrow path leading up the sides of the iceberg. The sky looked grey, which probably meant it was snowing at the top.

"The heart of the North Pole, but it is freezing cold and dangerous due to the instable ice and snow." Yue answered as she followed her gaze.

Elyrie looked back at Katara and Sokka, the look in her eyes unmistakable.

"He wouldn't..?" Katara asked hesitantly as she looked at the snowstorm.

Elyrie sighed as her eyes went back at the top of the iceberg.

"Yes, he would."

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun!**

**I have been working on this chapter for a long time, because I wanted to do the thrill of the episode justice! Fitting in Elyrie was a bit of a challenge, but I hope you like this chapter!**

**The second part will follow soon :)**


	26. The Siege of the North: Part 2

Zuko felt the heat of his breath against the fabric he had placed over his face to shield himself from the cold wind. The blizzard was raging across the snow-covered landscape, which made the temperature drop even lower than it already was. His legs felt heavy and his muscles started to ache when he plodded through the thick layer of fresh snow. The Avatar, who he had slung across his back, was silent and he only occasionally felt his breath against his ear.

It had been an enormous advantage that the Avatar seemed to be in trance. It made it far easier for him to capture the boy. Of course, the Water Tribe girl had tried to stop him and proved to be quite the adversary. She had learned a few new tricks, now that she had found a master. He had to admit that he was impressed with how much she had advanced in such a short period.

Lucky, he managed to gain the upper hand when the sun rose at last. _Her power comes from the moon, mine comes from the sun,_ he thought when he saw the sky darken again _._ The night would soon fall in again. During the winter, days on the North Pole tend to be shorter than average. With less than a few hours of sunlight, he needed to make a quick escape.

He knew he could not just walk out of the Oasis with the unconscious Avatar on his back. That would have been too obvious. Neither could he drag the boy back under the ice, the way he had come in. He knew he had not enough breath. And if the boy drowned, his whole quest would have been in vain. So he saw no other option than to climb out of the Oasis and make his way back over the frozen wasteland of the North Pole.

The snow blinded him and he felt his limbs growing heavier by the minute. The firebreathing technique of his Uncle helped a little, but it drained much of his energy. More than he had, in fact. Pure on his will, he managed to get through the snowstorm. He needed to reach the shore, where he could leave the North Pole with the Avatar. But he had no idea how to get there from here. All he had to do, was go forward. A plan would come eventually, now that he had the Avatar.

As he tramped on through the snow, a loud cracking noise drew his attention. Zuko's eyes widened when he saw the ice starting to crack under his feet. He did not dare to move. Then, the ground started to cave in around him.

Zuko reacted on instinct and started to run away from the cracking noise. With one arm holding onto the Avatar, he ran as fast as he could. The cracking sounds of ice were now everywhere and his footsteps left marks in the thin ice. Breathing heavy, he managed to keep ahead of the yawning hole that he caused.

But the ground in front of him started caving in as well. In his hurry, he tripped and lost his balance. In a reflex, he threw the Avatar over his back when he fell on the hard ground. Landing face down, he braced himself when a loud crash surrounded him.

He waited for the fall, but nothing happened. Still panting, he pushed himself back up. Frantically, he looked around for the Avatar. Then, he saw a small orange-yellow figure lying a few feet away from him. He was still in trance with his tattoo aglow.

Zuko felt the firm softness of snow under his palms and let out a sigh of relief. At least they were safe. When he pushed himself up on his elbows, he saw that the ice had fallen down and created a canyon. As he regained his breath, his eye fell on a small pile of snow. He tried to focus and saw that it was not a pile of snow: it was a rock ledge overhanging a small cave.

"Shelter" he murmured relieved when he stood up. Grabbing the boy by his collar, he dragged him inside the sheltered spot.

As soon as he stepped inside, he felt his inner fire regaining the upper hand. Out of the icy wind, the temperature was considerably less cold. He walked to the back of the cave and dumped the unconscious body of the Avatar on the ground. With ropes he brought along, he started to tie his hands behind his back.

"Can't risk losing you in a blizzard" Zuko muttered. When he was finished, he sat down exhausted against the cold stones of the cave. Blowing fire into his hands, he tried to keep himself warm.

"I finally have you" he said, looking over at the Avatar, "But I can't get you home because of this blizzard."

He stood back up and walked over to the entrance of the cave, looking out of the falling snow.

"There's always something" Zuko spat. Not for the first time, he cursed his continuous stroke of bad luck. For some reason, it made him irrationally angry with the Avatar. Everything seemed to come easy to this boy: he had friends, he had help and he was a master bender. He had everything Zuko wanted.

"Not that you would understand," he said to the unconscious boy, "You're like my sister: everything always came easy to her."

His sister. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. A firebending prodigy, a master strategist and a perfect princess.

"She's a firebending prodigy and everyone adores her."

_"During training today, Master Kunyo said I was holding my arms too far apart for one of my forms" the eight year old Azula said while motioning her arms to show it to her father, "I told him that's how you het the biggest fire blast!" Her large eyes looked at her father, who smiled fondly at his young daughter. She sat on his left side while they were eating dinner._

_"He didn't care," she continued, "He wanted me to do the form the way he does it. The_ dumb _way." Azula let out a small chuckle. "So when he had his back turned, I set his pant's on fire." she ended with a smug smile._

_"Hm," The Fire Lord said pensively as he stroked his beard, "Your teacher sounds like a fool. I'll have him sent to the colonies." Ozai looked at his youngest child, who's smiled back at him in pure delight. "Serves him right!" she exclaimed happily, "What a dummy!"_

_"He's not a dummy!" Zuko exclaimed, looking over at his sister, "He just thinks that_ proper _firebending has to start-,"_

_"Zuko!" his fathers voice roared while he slammed his fist on the table. The plates started to jingle due to the vibrations. "How dare you lecture your sister on firebending?!" The soft voice he had used to speak to his daughter had disappeared. Instead, his voice sounded like a raging blast of fire, aimed at Zuko himself. Zuko felt his throat constrict at the sight of his father's rage._

_"Despite being a year younger, how many more forms has she mastered than you?" Ozai asked in a cold tone while looking at his nine-year old son._

_"Fourteen" Zuko answered in a small voice with his eyes fixed on his plate. He did not dare to look at his father._

_"When you were born, we weren't sure if you were a bender at all." His father continued in a cruel tone, "You didn't have that_ spark _in your eyes."_

 _His yellow eyes narrowed when he felt the shame rise again. The thought that_ he _should have a non-bender as a son was unbearable. "I planned to cast you from the palace. How embarrassing for a Prince of the Fire Nation to have a non-bender as his firstborn!"_

 _He looked at his wife, whose eyes were large with indignation. Her beautiful features were twisted in anger but before she could say anything, he continued: "Lucky for you, your mother and the Fire Sages pleaded with me to give you a chance." Zuko felt all the colour drain from his face as his father's words kept hitting him, as if they were physical punches. "Azula on the other hand never needed that kind of luck. She was born_ lucky, _you were lucky to be_ born."

_"Ozai!" Ursa exclaimed as she slammed her small hands on the table and rose from her seat, "What a terrible thing to say." Zuko didn't say anything. He only tried to hold back his tears._

"My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born" he said in a dejected voice when he remembered his fathers words from all those years ago. The years had done nothing to lessen the pain.

"I don't need luck though, I don't want it." he said to himself. It was a sentence he had repeated over and over again to comfort himself over the years. "I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

But who was he really? He thought about it when he looked away from the snowstorm outside of the cave. He truly had no idea who he was. He only knew that he wanted to show his father that he was not worthless, that he had worked hard to become worthy to him. He wanted to sit at his father's side, like a true Crown Prince of the Fire Nation should do. He wanted what he had lost; he wanted his father's love.

He sat down with a sigh against the wall and looked at the blizzard raging outside.

"Guess we'll be here awhile."

* * *

"Don't worry!" Yue said as she put her hand reassuringly on Katara's arm, "Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather."

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard," Katara answered cheerlessly, "I'm worried that they won't." Her blue eyes were still rimmed with tears, but Elyrie couldn't see if it was out of worry for her friend or because of the icy wind.

Sitting on top of Appa, Aang's flying bison, Elyrie held on to the side of saddle until her knuckles turned white. She had never travelled in this manner and it was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Any other day, she would have been thrilled with this experience. But now, her sapphire eyes searched the frozen grounds for any sign of Zuko and Aang. She mentally thanked Uncle for his firebreathing lessons, but even now she felt the tops of her fingers grow colder by the minute.

Katara had worded her thoughts perfectly, as she felt her worry grew and grew when she saw how the storm pulled at her coat and hair.

"They're not gonna die in this blizzard," Sokka said with his hands on the reins, steering Appa through the snowstorm. His voice was determined "If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive and we'll find them!"

 _At least he got that right_ , Elyrie mused as she let go of the saddle and rubbed her hands together, breathing a small flame between them.

Sokka's voice had an annoyed undertone, which made Elyrie wonder how often Zuko had crossed them. Sokka's comment and Katara's determination made her think that they had met Zuko on far more occasions than she realised. He probably hunted them down, all the way from Kyoshi Island.

 _And I helped_ , she shuddered again as she looked at the Water Tribe siblings. They had been so kind to her and she felt so guilty. _But_ , she reminded herself _, I am trying to turn things around._ It was a small step, but a step in the right direction nonetheless.

Yue saw the sadness in the sapphire eyes of her cousin, as she continued to rub her hands together.

"Elyrie, what is wrong?" she asked in her beautiful voice.

"I am so worried about them." Elyrie answered in a small voice. She inhaled deeply and let her innerfire warm her from the inside. As she did this, small sparks escaped her red lips.

"You knew Prince Zuko, didn't you?" Yue asked, as she remembered the fervent reaction of her cousin when she heard he had attacked Katara and Aang.

"Yes," Elyrie nodded softly, "We grew up together." Katara and Yue looked over her in surprise.

"I just started to like you!" cried Sokka from the front, "And now you say you were friends with that angry jerk with a ponytail?"

"Sokka!" his sister said in a reprimanding tone when she saw the eyes of the auburn-haired girl.

Elyrie did not respond, but she thought about everything that had happened to Zuko. The loss of his mother, the bullying from his sister, the banishment by his father. The true reason why he needed to capture Aang. How could she possibly begin to explain this to people who never saw anything other than a vengeful Fire Nation Prince? And even more important, she knew Zuko did not like to talk about what happened to him. That had become painfully clear in the conversations she had with him.

"It's complicated." was all she managed to say. She sighed at the cliché answer, but there was simply no other way to summarize the whole situation.

"I'm sure it is" Sokka mumbled as he turned around to steer Appa further into the frozen tundra. At least it had stopped snowing, which made it easier to see.

Elyrie's eyes fixed on the horizon, where she saw the darkness descending over the North Pole. The vague outline of the Moon became visible at the dark sky. They had been searching for hours and now the night was setting in.

"Look!" Katara suddenly cried out, startling Elyrie. She pointed at an ball of blue light arcing over the frozen landscape. It looked like a blue comet that was flying over them. "That's gotta be Aang!"

Sokka immediately flipped Appa's reins to follow the spirit comet.

* * *

The cave was briefly illuminated from the inside. Zuko had to shield his eyes from the bright light coming from the unconscious boy. Once his tattoo's stopped glowing, the Avatar woke up. Struggling briefly against his bonds, he looked around with a confused look.

He sat up and saw Zuko standing next to him in the cave. "Welcome back" Zuko said coolly. He was glad that he tied the boy up, so he could not escape as easily.

"Good to be back" Aang answered in a threatening voice before he inhaled deeply. With a mighty breath, he blew Zuko against the wall of the cave while simultaneously propelling himself out in the snow. Grunting, he moved forward like a caterpillar trying to escape from a predator. Which, unironically, was exactly what was happening at the moment.

Zuko walked through the snow and grabbed him by the collar to lift him up. "That won't be enough to escape" he growled as he levelled the boy to look him in his grey eyes.

"Appa!" Aang exclaimed as he saw the silhouette of his friends appearing over Zuko's head. Zuko saw it too and let go of Aang as soon as the bison had landed in the snow. "Hey!" Aang yelped when Zuko tossed him aside.

"Here for a rematch?" Zuko asked when he aimed a fireblast at the brunette waterbender who dismounted the bison to face him.

"Trust me, Zuko," Katara replied calmly as she took her stance, blocking his attack with a waterbending move "It is not going to be much of a match" Then, she bended the snow around Zuko to send a shock wave of ice to him. Zuko growled as she encased him in a pillar of ice, raising up hight of the ground. Then with a flick of her wrists Katara dropped the pillar to the ground, effectively knocking out the Fire Prince.

"I'm sorry Elyrie, I-," the waterbender began in an apologizing voice, but Elyrie cut her off by raising her hand from the saddle.

"Don't worry," She answered as she watched Sokka cut Aang free. She hated to see this, but she understood the hesitance of the group. Heck, he had kidnapped Aang into this blizzard for crying out loud. "It was probably the best method to convince him to come along anyway." She said dryly.

The proud, headstrong and hot-headed prince would probably refuse to come along. Even if it had been her who had requested it. Not in this company.

"Hey, this is some quality rope" Sokka exclaimed while looking at the pieces of rope he cut off of Aang.

"We need to go" Aang said as he rubbed his wrists, "The koi fish are in danger! They are the mortal forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirits".

"Of course!" Yue exclaimed.

Aang used his airbending to lift Zuko into the saddle on Appa's back. Elyrie extended her arms to him, so she could let Zuko's unconscious body rest in her lap. When he gently laid down Zuko close to Elyrie, Sokka let out an indignant sigh.

"Yeah, that is a great idea!" Sokka said sarcastically, "Let's bring along the guy who's constantly trying to kill us"

"He never tried to kill you" Elyrie replied, her tone slightly sharper then she had intended.

"Much better, yet I feel much more comfortable if we tie him up" Sokka said as he climbed onto the saddle with the ropes. Elyrie bit her lip, but understood why he felt that way. "Fine" she said with a sigh, "But please, be careful"

"Yip yip!" Aang said when he was ensured Zuko was tied down. He flicked the reins and Appa set off into the night sky, where the full moon was now shining brightly.

Elyrie let her long fingers caress Zuko's face. Now that she held him in her arms, alive, she tried to overcome her shock at the state of his face. His alabaster skin was bruised and beaten up, as if he had been in a fight. His lips were cut. His good eye was bruised, with a reddish-blue spot around his lid. His jaw had a dark blue spot on the left side as well.

_What have they done to you?_

He had been in the exploding ship and sustained the injuries. But like a miracle, he survived it. And she thanked all the Gods, Agni, Tui and La and all the others who listened, for that miracle.

Still unconscious, she placed his head in her lap and softly caressed him. She was glad she wore the blue and white fur coats of the Water Tribe, which were incredibly soft to the touch.

 _You're an idiot_ , she mused as she watched him with his eyes closed, almost as if he were asleep. _But you are my idiot and I am so glad you are alive_. Laying down in her lap, he looked younger. His features were relaxed, almost serene. She lovingly caressed the bruises with a light touch.

With Zuko's head resting against her, she placed her own hands on his chest. Using the breath of fire, she generated the heath to her hands and moved the warmth to his heart so the cold wouldn't bother him. She knew that the breath of fire used up a lot of energy, which his body obviously had.

Zuko felt numbed with his limbs restrained, but he felt the warm presence of someone who was cradling him. Through his hazy mind, he felt soft hands caress his face. The icy winds of the North Pole hurt his cheeks, but he was surprised at the warmth that spread from his chest through his body. His head rested against something soft. Not a pillow, but something firmer. A familiar scent reached his nostrils and he felt himself relax. He was not conscious enough to register what was happening or where he was, but he felt safe.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Katara was observing the girl as she cradled Zuko in her lap. The blue-eyed waterbender said nothing, but watched as the girl carefully stroked Zuko's face. To her, it was the face of the enemy. The man who had knocked her out in the Spirit Oasis, not for the first time. Zuko had crossed their paths so many times; he had attacked her village, set fire to Kyoshi Island, paralyzed her and Sokka, tied her to a tree and used her mother's necklace as a bargaining tool. Subconsciously, she touched the choker around het neck. Playing with the smooth stone, she observed her enemy now.

He looked so peaceful, so vulnerable. She could almost see his lips form a smile, which is something she had never seen. First, she thought he looked frightening. His scar was distinctive, but the bruises he had gotten only seemed to exaggerate his status as the enemy.

But then, the girl was Fire Nation as well. And from what Katara had seen, and she _knew_ she was a good person. She believed with her whole heart that everybody had something good in them. She just never thought about Zuko's good sides. She never had the chance to. And maybe this girl had. She must have seen his good sides, otherwise she would not have been so concerned. After all, she left Zhao without a second thought. She must have seen the good in Zuko.

Katare was brought out of her pensive thoughts when she saw Yue holding her head, as if she was in pain. Elyrie looked up as well, alarmed.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asked the white-haired princess.

"I feel faint" she answered in a thin voice.

"I feel it too" Aang said with his hand on his head while looking up at the Moon, "The Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life" Yue said while looking at her hands.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked while placing his hand over hers.

"When I was born," Yue explained, "I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I were asleep; my eyes closed."

She looked at Elyrie, who listened while she continued to hold onto the unconscious Fire Prince. _She has the Water Tribe eyes_ , Yue thought absentmindedly while looking at her cousin. Elyrie gave Yue an encouraging smile, urging her to continue her story.

"Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die." Yue continued while she turned to Sokka and Katara, "My father pleaded with the spirits to save me."

"That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the Oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry – and they knew I would live."

She sighed as she looked down again, still thankful for the gift the Moon Spirit had bestowed on her. "That is why my mother named me Yue, for the moon." She finished as her blue eyes were rimmed with tears. She could not bear the thought of harm coming over the Moon Spirit, who had given so much to her Tribe.

Underneath Appa, Elyrie saw the form of the Oasis. Softly lifting Zuko out of her lap and placing him on his side next to her, she bowed to look over Appa's back. She felt goosebumps going all over her body when she heard Zhao's voice echoeing across the walls.

"I am a legend now!" she heard him say while raising his fists to the heavens, "The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon!"

"They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! Zhao the Invincible!"

Elyrie just wanted to propel herself out of the saddle to silence him when a small cry came from Zhao in the middle of his speech. Momo, the small flying lemur that belonged to Aang, had jumped onto Zhao's face.

She took her chance and before Appa had even landed, she had jumped out of the saddle and landed on the soft grass on the other side of the pond. Aang and Katara followed her example.

"Get it off!" Zhao yelled when Momo started to pull on his sideburns with an impressive force.

 _How often have I wanted to do that_ , Elyrie thought as she felt her blood beginning boil. Her innerfire was set ablaze when she saw Zhao holding a dripping bag. He had captured the Moon Spirit, the white koi fish. Behind him, his four most trusted soldiers had accompanied him on this quest. In the pond, she saw the black fish franctically swimming and searching for his other half.

Momo had finally decided to let go of Zhao's sideburns and flew to his masters outstretched arm. He landed on Aang's shoulder while his Master locked eyes with the Admiral.

When Zhao looked at the group before him, he felt his arrogance grew. _These five children cannot stop me_ , he thought smugly. He let his eyes go over the familiar figure of the Avatar, the two Water Tribe siblings and a women with white hair. But he halted when his eyes rested on the fifth person. In the dark, it was difficult to see her face under her hood. When she lowered her hood, he recognized her instantly. Pale face, auburn hair and dark blue eyes which were filled with fire.

When their eyes locked, none of them spoke. She simply raised an eyebrow, but took a fighting stance along with Aang, Katara and Sokka.

Just as she wanted to lit up her palms, Zhao raised his hand. "Don't bother" he said arrogantly when he held a small knife next to the bag with the Moon Spirit in it.

He enjoyed the look of fear that crossed her face when he raised the bag where he kept the koi fish. Still squirming inside the bag, the fish tried it's hardest to escape its prison. Zhao raised the knife in his fist on the level of the moving bag. All he had to do was stab and the Moon would cease to be. Forever.

It was the Avatar who spoke. "Zhao!" he said while raising his hands in a soothing motion, "Don't."

"It is my destiny" Zhao replied, not breaking eye contact with the young airbender, "To destroy the Moon and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the Moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe," Aang said while trying to keep his voice from trembling, "It will hurt everyone, including you." He had to convince the Admiral to stop this foolish mission. "Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world"

"He's right, Zhao" a familiar voice said. On the small wooden bridge, a cloaked figure had appeared. Elyrie had instantly recognized the voice, but so had Zhao.

"General Iroh", Zhao said in an almost bored tone, "Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?"

"I am no traitor, Zhao" Iroh answered calmly as he lowered his hood, "The Fire Nation needs the Moon too. We all depend on the balance." He points his finger at Zhao and thundered "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you ten-fold!" Iroh took his fighting stance with his kind features twisted in anger, "Let it go, now!"

Elyrie had never heard him speak like this. The kind and soft voice of the Uncle she knew was gone. This was the feared General, who singlehandedly could take out an entire army.

Zhao locked eyes for a moment with the old General. His courage faltered, for he knew he could not take on this master firebender. He slowly lowered the bag and knelt down to released the koi fish back into the pond. Resting on his knees, he placed the knife in his waistband and saw the Moon regaining his natural blue glow again. The koi fish returned to their circular pattern, swimming around each other.

For a moment, Elyrie felt a wave of relief coming over her. She saw Zhao kneeling down by the pond, his face unreadable. But her heart stopped when she saw his face twisting into a look of madness and desperation. Before anyone could react, he stood up with a cry of rage and aimed a blast of fire into the pond.

Elyrie felt the heat on her face as she watched in horror. When they all looked up, the moon was winked out of existence. Darkness had ascended over the world.

Iroh instantly moved to attack the Admiral. Firing blast after blast, he crossed the bridge with a single jump. Elyrie followed his example, aiming her fire at the group of men standing at the pond. In the time she knocked over one guard, Iroh had taken care of the others. On his own, he knocked out the three guards with effortless ease and precision. In the corner of her eye, Elyrie saw Zhao backing away and running out of the Oasis.

"Coward!" she yelled at him while she sprinted to follow him. Iroh grabbed her wrist to stop her, but she pulled herself free. "Come back!" Iroh yelled, but she was too furious to listen. She felt her blood race. He wouldn't get away with destroying lives. Not again. Not if she could do something about it.

Zhao had barely gotten through the wooden door before she blocked his way with a fireblast.

When he turned around, he saw the small figure of his fiancée standing behind him. Her eyes were filled with hatred and her face was twisted in anger.

"You traitor" he said to her, "I could have given you everything you ever wanted." He aimed a fireblast at her with a raging fury.

"You could never have given me what I wanted" she answered when she blocked his attack.

"You'll see no mercy from me now" he growled as he retook his stance.

"You don't know what mercy is" she replied in a biting tone. She blocked his attacks with ease, moving faster than he could aim.

But Zhao had not become an Admiral by mere luck. He knew how to handle an enemy. She might be faster than he was, but she was also smaller. She was less experienced in hand-to-hand combat. He had at least 60 pounds on her, which made her at the disadvantage. He continued to step forward to physically attack her. All she could do, was block his attacks as best she could.

She managed to hold him off by igniting her fists to block his attacks. He aimed his fists at her face, but she continued to dodge every blow. But when she tried to propel herself over him, he spun her around and placed his arm around her neck. Feeling her windpipe being crushed, she tried to remain calm as she struggled to get herself free. With one hand, she tried to pull his arm away from her neck. With the other, she tried to crack up a fire whip, but her breathing was too restricted to conjure any fire.

She felt the grip around her neck lessen when Zhao reached for the knife which was stashed on his waistband. Taking the opportunity, she took a breath and her palms ignited. Her whip circled around his upper leg, which made him hiss in pain. The smell of burnt flesh reached her nostrils and she turned away in disgust.

She needed to get him away from her, but the attack had slowed down her own defence. She felt something warm gush over her left arm when she pulled herself away from his grip. Looking down, she saw that the sharp edge of his knife cut her left arm. Her whip immediately extinguished. It was a deep cut she realised, when she saw blood seeping out of the wound.

Strangely enough, it did not hurt. The adrenaline that was pumping through her body had prevented her from crying out. Instead, she straightened her back and retook her stance. Her blood dripped on the white fur, staining it.

Zhao lay down on the ice, clutching his upper leg. Her firewhip had burned through the fabric of his armour and left him with a severe burn. Leaning on his good leg, he tried to stand back up. Their eyes met, both filled with hatred.

"You were never fit to be my wife." He growled when he slumped down again.

"I completely agree" she answered without hesitation with as much disgust as she could bring up. He looked helpless, lying down on the ground.

She felt her conscience taking over her anger. As much as she wanted him to pay, she did not want him dead. Seeing him lie down helplessly, she realised that there was no honour in this. She had nothing to gain by attacking him now. She would be no better than he was.

Then, everything was illuminated by a blue light. Elyrie looked up at the sky in surprise and felt a twinge of hope. But all she saw was the dark night sky without the bright light of the moon.

But the blue light had to come from somewhere. She turned around and saw an enormous figure making his way down the city through the canals. His glow illuminated the entire citadel.

She stood to close, but it seemed to be a koi fish. An enormous koi fish, made of glowing water with blue veins in his enormous body. Then she realised it must be La, the Ocean Spirit.

In the middle of its body was a white orb in which a silhouette was standing. She recognized Aang in the middle, aiding the fish. The enormous koi fish made its way to the Armada, which was still attacking the Northern Water Tribe.

She was too distracted by the otherworldly sight that she completely forgot Zhao for a moment. Zhao seized this opportunity to make his way back to the ship. He shot a fireblast at her, aiming for her head.

She ducked in a reflex, but lost her balance and fell down on the ice. To break her fall, she automatically extended her hands, but she landed on her left arm. Now she cried out in pain. She looked back at Zhao, but he had managed to get away. She put her teeth on each other to prevent herself from crying out again.

She cursed under her breath now that she had lost him. She stumbled back on her feet, clutching her arm. The cut was worse than she initially thought and she noticed blood dripping onto the ice, leaving a small puddle.

The adrenaline started to fade away now that she started to calm down. She tried to sit back up to go after Zhao, but a hand on her shoulder startled her. In reflex she pulled away, but the touch was soft and reassuring.

Golden eyes locked with sapphire eyes. Without saying a word, Zuko took off his scarf and tied it around her wounded arm to stop the bleeding. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before he helped her stand back up.

"They need you back there," he said in a soft voice, "I'll go after Zhao."

Before she could say anything, he jumped off the parapet in pursuit of the Admiral.

* * *

"He got away" she said in a defeated voice when she returned to the pond in the Spirit Oasis. Iroh looked at her with sad eyes as he was holding the scarred white fish. The limp body was a horrific sight to see and Elyrie sat down next to the old man, feeling defeated.

Katara extended her hand once she saw Elyrie's arm. "You're hurt." The scarf was stained with blood and Katara cursed the fact that she could not heal her. She had no waterbending powers without the moon

Yue looked at her cousin, her eyes large with worry. She grabbed her hand to support her, while Sokka had is hands on her shoulders.  
"Yue, your eyes" Elyrie said as she looked at her cousin.

The darkness that now had engrossed the North Poe made everything look grey and gloom. Yet Yue's eyes seemed to shine with a light from deep within her in an unnatural shade of blue. Her eyes were like two moons, shining bright in the night sky.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit" Iroh said, realizing the connection "Some of his life is in you!"

"You're right." Yue answered while looking up at the old General, "It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back."

She got up, but Sokka grabbed her hand. "No!" Sokka reached for her hand, holding on tightly, "You don't have to do that!"

Yue gave his hand a small squeeze behind her, but she did not turn around to look at him. "It is my duty, Sokka" she said determinedly.

"I won't let you!" Sokka cried out, "Your father told me to protect you!"

Yue still did not turn around, but looked up and inhaled before she said "I have to do this." Letting her hand slip out of Sokka's grip, she walked to the Fire Nation General. Iroh held up the dead fish in his hands.

"Take care of our people" Yue said to Elyrie, who was standing next to Iroh. Elyrie was on the verge of tears. She felt her chest constrict at the sight of the Water Tribe Princess. _So much courage and determination to save her people_ , Elyrie thought as she nodded. "I promise" she whispered.

Yue gave her a small smile before she placed her palms over the Moon Spirit. As soon as her hands touched the wet scales, the fish started to glow.

Closing her eyes for the last time, Yue exhaled. Then, her entire body fell back into Sokka's outstretched arms. "No!" Sokka cried out in despair. He placed his hands on her cheek and held his ear next to her mouth, but looked away in defeat. "She's gone" he said sofly, while he hugged her lifeless body tighter, "She's gone."

Elyrie let her tears fall down her cheeks without even trying to wipe them away. The sight of Sokka cradling Yue's body was too much to bear. But then, Yue's body glowed briefly before it disappeared.

At the same time, the fish in Iroh's hands started to glow and squirm. Swiftly putting the Spirit back into the water, the pond started to glow white. From the water, the misty form of Yue rose. She looked the same, but she floated above the pond in an unearthly form. Her face was as white as the mist of which she now seemed to be made of.

"Goodbye Sokka" she said, her voice now sounding otherworldly and echoing "I'll always be with you"

She lowered her face to level his and placed her hand on his face. Then she kissed him for a moment before fading away in the night.

For a moment, everything was quiet. Then a beautiful full moon appeared amidst the shining stars.

* * *

Zhao jumped down the parapet, trying to get his weight off of his injured leg. He cursed the little wench, but he had to get away before anyone could catch up with him. Clutching his burned leg, he only got one story down before a fireblast halted him in his flight.

He turned around, expecting the small form of Elyrie behind him. Instead, it was a man in grey clothing. The unmistakable scar across his left eye left no room for confusion.

"You're alive?" Zhao asked incredulously. "You tried to have me killed!" Zuko roared as he aimed another fireblast at the Admiral, now aiming for his body.

The darkness of the moonless sky was brieflt illuminated by the orange light of Zuko's flames. But Zhao had dodged his attack by rolling away on the ice, hissing out in pain when his injured leg touched the cold ground.

"Yes, I did." The Admiral answered with venom in his voice as he saw Zuko approach him, "You are the Blue Spirit. The enemy of the Fire Nation. You freed the Avatar."

"I had no choice" Zuko simply said as he continued to attack firing volley after volley at Zhao, who had gotten back on his feet. Zhao blocked his attack by extending his arms to break the flames apart in a wedge in front of him.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace!" he spat as he took his fighting stance, "Then, at least, you could have lived! Now you die, just like that little wench will once I get my hands on her."

With a roar, he ignited his fists to finish the Fire Prince once and for all. But he was wounded and Zuko's fury had reached the highest point. His firebending was insignificant compared to the Prince's inner inferno.

Smoke came out of his nostrils when Zuko thought of Elyrie and the puddle of blood around her. That bastard tried to have him killed, tried to capture the Avatar and he had hurt Elyrie.

He saw that Zhao left his chest unguarded, so he blasted him right in his chest. With a cry, Zhao fell backward off the parapet wall onto the bridge below. A blue light illuminated the bridge and the canal beneath it, but neither Zuko or Zhao noticed it at first.

But when Zhao tried to get up, he saw the Moon shining over Zuko's shoulder.

"It can't be!" Zhao cried out in horror. Beneath them, the water started to glow with a blue light. Blue veins shaped the water into an enormous hand, which reached out to grab Zhao.

Dodging the hand, Zuko flipped forward to escape the grip. When he looked up, he saw Elyrie standing on the parapet.

Elyrie looked with wide eyes at the hand of the Ocean Spirit, which had Zhao in its clutches. Still panting, she had ran as fast as she could to search for Zuko. They had not come far, but she had not expected this sight. She saw Zhao's desperation and was torn. He did not deserve to die, not like this.

Zuko saw her face and looked back at the struggling Admiral. "Take my hand!" Zuko yelled when he got up and extended his hand.

For a moment, it seemed like Zhao tried to reach for it, but he drew his hand back at the last moment. The Ocean Spirit dragged him under the water and disappeared.

Standing on the bridge, Zuko stared at the water which had submerged Zhao. Somehow he knew Zhao was not drowned. He was taken to the Spirit World. He repressed a shudder as he stepped down.

Elyrie had jumped from the parapet onto the bridge and looked at him with a half smile on her lips. Zuko wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the words.

She walked towards him, slightly stumbling until she was a mere centimetres away. Zuko noticed that her arm was healed, as if Zhao never touched her.

She extended her hand, her slender fingers caressing his face. He closed his eyes as he felt her cool fingers softly touch his split lip and his cuts. The results from Zhao's attempt on his life. When he opened his golden eyes, he saw her piercing sapphire eyes gazing back.

And then, as if she finally let herself belief he was truly there, she fell against his chest. He placed his arms around her, feeling by her motions that she was crying. Her fingers grasped his tunic, digging into it as if she held on for dear life. He placed his hand against the back of her head, while the other hand soothingly caressed her back. He held her as if she was a little girl. With his face buried in her hair, he felt the adrenaline leave his body.

"You're alive. You're alive" she whispered again and again, her voice breaking with every breath she took.

Guilt hit him again like a wave crashing into the rocks.

"I'm so sorry" was all he managed to say.

"Don't be" she answered, her face still in his shirt, "You are alive"

He pulled her even closer to feel her warmth. Oh Agni, how long he had been waiting to hold her this close. His heart started to pound faster when he buried his face in her curls again.

"Prince Zuko" they heard a voice say. Looking up, but both not letting go of each other, they turned to the figure approaching them.

"Uncle" Zuko said as he reached out for the older man. Iroh took his hand with a smile before turning to Elyrie, who was still holding on to Zuko's tunic.

"I am so sorry for deceiving you like this," Iroh said, "But we had to protect him from Zhao's wrath."

Elyrie smiled so brightly that it seemed like the sun had come out at last, ending this long night.

"If both of you ever deceive me like this again, I promise you I will personally kill you myself." She said with the teasing look, but with a serious undertone.

Iroh chuckled. "I don't doubt it" He turned to his nephew, who had his hand still around the shoulders of the young girl, "Prince Zuko, the Armada is retreating. We need to go now."

Zuko nodded and looked back at the girl he was holding in his arms. She had nowhere to go now, he realised. "Come with us?" Zuko asked, his eyes pleading.

Elyrie looked at him. He look wounded and torn and for a moment, she wanted to leave with them. But she knew she could not leave. Not now she had found her mother's family. Not now that their Princess had passed. Not after she what she had promised her.

"I can't," she whispered, "My family is here. I need to stay."

Zuko looked at her with a surprised look. "Your family?" he asked in disbelief. "Yes, and I'll explain it someday, but for now Uncle is right," Elyrie said in a decisive tone, "You need to leave."

Not letting go of her hand, Zuko followed her small figure to the docks. There, they found a very primitive raft, which was just enough to fit two grown men.

"Are you sure you will be alright here?" Zuko asked for the last time as his Uncle was untying the ropes. Elyrie nodded with a smile.

"Trust me," she said half jokingly, "They'll treat me like royalty"

The sun started to rise and her auburn coloured curls glittered in the sunlight.

"Prince Zuko" he heard his Uncle say, "It is time to go."

For a moment, the golden eyes looked into the sapphire eyes. His eyes drank in her face, trying to remember every detail. He lifted his hand to rest it on her cheek. She placed her own hand over his with a courageous smile on her red lips. Zuko looked at her full lips for a moment, whishing things would be different. His heart splintered into a million pieces when he uttered the painful familiar goodbye.

"Goodbye Lily"

* * *

End of Book 1

* * *

**Thank you to everyone who made it this far!**

**I hope you enjoyed my story so far! I tried to leave in the big character moments, like Zuko's last fight with Zhao, but worked around the situation by fitting in Elyrie.**

**Please leave a review if you liked it!**

**Lots of Love!**

**P.S. I have a lot of ideas for Book 2: Earth, so stay tuned!**


	27. New Scars and Old Wounds

**Book 2: Earth**

* * *

The morning came at last.

The sky was grey without a hint of blue. It was if the sun did not dare to shine his radiant light over a place that had endured so much tragedy. Veils of clouds passed through the sky when the soft breeze pulled them along. And yet, despite all the sadness the sky expressed, a silver coloured moon was still visible.

 _Yue_. Moon.

"The spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born."

Chief Arnook looked up at the moon. His blue eyes, almost the same colour as Yue's had been, were rimmed with tears. His face was engraved with deep wrinkles, as if he had aged a hundred years in the last moment.

Sokka looked up to the Moon as well. He had taken it upon himself to tell the Chief what had happened to his daughter. _This is something no one should have to tell a father_ , he thought.

"I saw a beautiful, brave young woman" Chief Arnook continued without looking away from the Moon, "become the Moon Spirit."

He finally lowered his eyes and sighed deeply. "I knew this day would come." he said without a tremble in his voice.

"You must be proud." Sokka said as he turned his head to look at the Chief, wording the same thoughts he felt when Yue made her brave decision. He was heartbroken, sad and proud beyond words.

"So proud." Arnook answered as he looked back up to the Moon again. It almost seemed he wanted to say it one last time to his daughter. "And sad." he added quietly when his voice broke at last.

A few feet behind the two men, a young woman had quietly listened to their conversation. She had put her arms around herself in a soothing way to comfort herself. Her pale skin, even paler due to the lack of sleep, was almost the same colour as the snow which covered the North Pole.

Her heart went out to the two men that were standing there, looking up at the Moon. The Chief's voice had broken at the last word, but at that moment Elyrie admired him more than she had ever admired anyone before. His suffering, too terrible to name, had not broken his spirit. He accepted the sacrifice his daughter made with pride and continued to cherish her memory. She had not even heard him speak ill of the Fire Nation or the attack on their city.

Along with the two men, she looked at the beautiful Moon. It almost looked as if Yue was watching over them.

 _Please Yue, forgive me_ , she silently thought.

* * *

Elyrie quickly learned that the people from the Water Tribe were as flexible as their element. Within a week, the citizens had begun to rebuild their city. Every male waterbender was put to work to repair the damages the Fire Nation attack had caused. Every female waterbender was required to help in the improvised hospital for the wounded. Master Pakku, the stern man who had looked at her with suspicion, turned out to be a man of action despite his advanced age. He made sure every waterbender knew how to fix the damage and how to rebuild the destroyed walls. Katara, never far away to offer her help for reparations or healing, explained to Elyrie that Master Pakku had almost singlehandedly beaten the invading soldiers during the last battle. Elyrie had grinned when she looked at the older man and did not doubt for a second that he was a great master, albeit a bit of a grumpy one.

The good news was that Elyrie could contribute a little bit in rebuilding the city as well. With firebending, she and Kun melted the steel and weapons which were left behind by the Fire Nation soldiers. With the steel, stronger ships were made instead of wooden canoes. Kun, who had fought alongside the warriors of the Water Tribe, was accepted into the community as a hero. When the two Fire Nation citizens walked over the icy streets of the North Pole, people nodded to him with respect. He had become a hero among the citizens because of his bravery during the Siege of the North. Elyrie had heard the story afterwards. When the Moon had disappeared that fateful night, Kun had taken it upon himself to defend the children and weaker citizens, who had taken refuge in the cellars of the Royal Palace. This had made him a particular favourite among the children of the Northern Water Tribe, who followed him everywhere like turtle-ducklings following their mother. The quiet soldier seemed to be a natural when it came to entertaining children. Elyrie was glad he seemed to enjoy his stay so much. _It seemed almost like a vacation for him_ , she mused when she saw him play with the children, _If anyone deserved some time off, it was him._

As for her, she tried to keep as busy as possible. Not that there was much time left in a day. Outwardly, her life seemed to be better than it had been in a long time. She was finally liberated from the yoke of her engagement. She had found a loving family who had accepted her as one of their own. Even the citizens of the Water Tribe had welcomed their new princess with more warmth than she could ever have dreamed of. She was amazed at the strong sense of community of the Water Tribe, even if she was from the Fire Nation.

And thus, she tried to adapt as best she could. Kun was her rock during the first weeks. He never left her side unless it was absolutely necessary. She was touched by his concern. She enjoyed his company and calming presence, even though he was still not a talker. Despite this, Kun seemed to have found his place in the Water Tribe rather quickly. It did not surprise her that Sokka and Kun got along well. They spend hours in the library, bending over maps of the Earth Kingdom and discussing the strategies. Elyrie joined them on several occasions and explained the way the Navy operated during their attacks.

Sokka was surprised at the intelligence of the young woman, who discussed the battle strategies as good as any warrior he had known. They discussed the war and politics, often in the large chairs of the library. Both were enthusiastic about the topics, which they so seldom could discuss with anyone. Her intelligence, dry wit and calm demeanour impressed Sokka. Likewise, Elyrie was glad for a kindred soul, especially since he seemed to share her sense of humour. They became good friends in the weeks after the Siege of the North.

Katara, who had observed her brother, was amused that her sarcastic, rather sexist brother seemed to get on so well with a freethinking young woman. _Maybe Suki did learn him some valuable lessons_ , she thought amused as she watched Sokka listen eagerly to Elyrie's tales of the history of the Fire Nation.

Like her brother, Katara found a friend in the young firebender. Both women bonded over the fact that they had not been able to develop their bending abilities earlier in life, but tried to make up for it as best they could. Friendly sparring matched were not uncommon between the two. Katara was glad she could practice against a real firebender, which could help her in the future. Elyrie also accompanied Aang and Katara to their waterbending training whenever she could. She found it fascinating to see Katara and Aang bend the flexible element when twirled through the air. How different from her own fire, which had a life of its own if left uncontrolled. Then again, the giant sea and crashing waves also followed their own path, so maybe the elements were more similar than she thought. While observing Katara's more defensive style of bending, so different from the aggressive form Elyrie was used to, she tried to mimic the movements. Even though she was by no means a master bender, she saw that her bending improved.

As for her newfound family, there was much to be done for her. With Yue gone, the whole family was gathered together in their grief. But with the grief came also hope for new beginnings. The Royal Family seemed eager to honour the brave woman who had saved them all. With that, they also wanted to include Thyra again in the official line-up. Elyrie's locket was given to the painter, so he could paint a picture of her mother to hang at the Royal gallery. Chief Arnook and Panuk had insisted that the portrait of their sister should hang in the gallery, where all members of the Royal Family belonged. Elyrie had gladly accepted the kind gesture and handed over her locket to the painter, so he could copy the picture. She carefully examined his work, helping with the smallest details whenever she could.

Her grandmother had taken it upon herself to teach her granddaughter the ways of life at the Royal Palace of the Water Tribe. She made new clothes for her, which were more suited to the freezing temperatures. Elyrie was dressed in the blue colours of the Water Tribe. Dresses and robes were needed to keep her warm, since she was still adjusting to the cold climate. Her grandmother learned her how to braid her hair according to the customs of the Water Tribe as well. Nana, as she wished Elyrie called her, was a loving, motherly figure who tried her best to help her granddaughter adjust to her new life as Princess of the Northern Water Tribe.

Elyrie smiled so much that the muscles in her face hurt. But the forced smiles hid the loneliness she felt deep within.

More and more she realised that this was her family, but not her world. Every night at dinner, they laughed and they spoke about customs and ancient traditions. It was so familiar to them, so safe. It was their entire world. But not hers. She was a blood relative, but she was not one of them. Her appearance, though so similar to mother's, was different. Her pale skin and auburn hair were unnatural in these surroundings.

She was not naive. She knew their were still people in the city who mistrusted her. And she couldn't blame them. She was from the same country as the man who had attacked their city, less than a month ago. But she also saw the looks of discomfort whenever she displayed her firebending.

She felt like a spoiled child. These people wanted to take her in as one of their own. Which, in fact, she was. But it was so far from the world she had grown up in. Every night in bed, she reprimanded herself for her feelings. She recounted how horrible the situation in the Stronghold had been, how underappreciated she was there. But at least she knew how to handle herself in those situations. Here, she was an outsider. She had never cared much about being on her own. But it was so different now. She felt guilty, when her grandmother tried to do anything she could to make her granddaughter feel at home. And it worked: Elyrie did feel loved and she did feel safe.

But the longing feeling for her home across the sea still smouldered within her. Like embers which glowed after the fire had gone out. Every night, she worried about the fates of Zuko and Uncle. It had been weeks since she had last seen them. Since then, she had not received a word. She was surprised to learn that even the Northern Water Tribe used a service similar to the mail system they used in the Fire Nation. Instead of using hawks, they used kittiwakes to deliver messages to the Earth Kingdom. The seabrids were tamed and trained specifically for the purpose of connecting the icy North Pole with their allies on the mainland. Their nesting place was on a high cliff, close to the edge of the city. Elyrie had visited it a couple of times, but every time she decided against sending a message. Zuko and Uncle could be anywhere in the Earth Kingdom by now. And more importantly, her intuition told her that it was unwise to send a message. So there was nothing to do except to wait for a sign.

_Zuko, where are you?_

That was how Elyrie got to know loneliness. How to feel 'half'.

She felt new sympathy for the halfbloods born in the colonies. To her Water Tribe family, she was Fire Nation. And now that it had become known what she was, her Fire Nation family would undoubtedly see her as Water Tribe. Even though she grew up in the Fire Nation.

She would be an outsider two times.

But she damned herself if anyone would notice it. Thus, she smiled and laughed and listened to everything her family told her.

She could learn to fit in here in time. And as best she could, she tried to silence the voice in her head who asked her if this is what she wanted for the rest of her life.

After a particular long day of repairments, Elyrie let herself fall down in the giant chair in the library. The sun began to set so she knew she had some time to spare before she was expected at dinner. The library had become her favourite place of refuge during these weeks. She could always count on some quiet time there. The table next to the chair was filled with maps of the Earth Kingdom. It was for Aang and his friends ffort their journey to Omashu, one of the two cities which were still under Earth Kingdom rule. She knew that the next element in the cyclus would be Earth, so Aang needed an earthbending teacher. Aang told her about his friend Bumi, one of the greatest earthbenders in the world despite his age. She chuckled to herself when she imagined the hundred year old man teaching the 19 year old Avatar. Kun was about to leave with them back to the mainland. From there, he would travel back to his family in the Fire Nation. They all would depart in a few days.

Elyrie picked up a book about the history of the Northern Water Tribe, which her Nana advised her to read. She sat down again in the chair and let her fingers trail the sides of the pages of the atlas, but she did not attempt to open it. With a sigh, she stood back up and walked around the library.

Outside, she saw the setting sun shining his last golden rays over the frozen city. As he let her elbows rest on the windowsill, she let her chin rest in the palm of her hand. It was a beautiful sight. The sea glittered in the orange light and the wall was mostly repaired, as were the houses that were damaged during the attack.

When her eyes went over the icy roofs, he felt a sense of melancholy coming over her. Kun was about to return to their home country. But she was not going with him. She belonged here now. Softly humming to herself, she leaned forward and inhaled the crisp air. How she longed for the dry heat. As always, singing helped calm her mind.

_Let me have a moment  
Let me say goodbye  
To bridge and river, forest and waterfall  
Orchard, sea and sky_

_Harsh and sweet  
And bitter to leave it all  
I'll bless my homeland till I die_

A smile tugged on the edges of her mouth as she saw the beauty of the Fire Nation in her minds eye. The firelillies, the volcanos, the beaches on Ember Island, her home in the capital, the scorching heat.

But as the sun almost disappeared, she saw the vague shape of the Moon taking its place. A shudder went through her. When she was alone with her thoughts, she kept reliving the moments in that long night when the Moon darkened.

She walked away from the window and fell down in one of the chairs. She was sad. Sadder than she had ever felt because so much had happened in so little time. But she refused to complain to anyone. They all had suffered enough. The last thing they needed was a whining girl from the Fire Nation. Even though it was her country that launched the attack. It was her fiancé that had initiated the attack. Every time she thought of Zhao and her former connection with him, she wanted to ran into the frozen tundra and scream on the top of her lungs. The guilt came crashing back as if a wave of emotions had hit her with full force.

"Hey" a voice said, bringing her out of her thoughts. It was Sokka who had entered the library. She smiled at him, but he frowned his brow.

"What are you reading?" he asked as he rolled up a map that was laid out over the table. He saw that the book laid unopened next to her. Elyrie sat up while she exhaled. "Oh, nothing much." she answered while stretching her arms over her head.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked with his blue eyes focused on her. She seemed so down, so sad.

"No, no!" she said while quickly plastering a smile on her face. But it did not reach her eyes.

She rubbed her empty left ring finger where the ruby engagement ring once resided. Now, she had the sapphire ring of her mother on her right hand. She tried to repress the urge to blurt out her worries and frantically turned the sapphire ring around and around.

But it was useless. Sometimes it was just enough to have someone ask you what was wrong.

"I saw Zhao once lock up women and children in a wooden Temple, only to burn it down." she began bluntly. Sokka raised his eyebrows at this sudden change. Her face seemed to harden and her voice was constricted.

Elyrie stared at her hands. The screaming of the villagers kept ringing in her ears, even now. "Lucky, they got out in time for anyone to get seriously hurt, but that was not because of him. Then, after everyone had escaped, he burned the entire town down."

Sokka looked at the sad blue eyes in the pale face. He knew what had happened. He heard it from Kun when he had asked him why he turned against his former Admiral. Kun had told him how Elyrie had fought against the tyranny.

But Sokka did not tell her that. He felt that she needed someone to talk to. And even though his sister kept saying he was clueless to this sort of thing, he instinctively felt Elyrie needed a listening ear, a word of compassion, a soothing motion. She had bottled up most of it.

"I once knew a man who wanted to drown an entire city just because they were Fire Nation." Sokka said, "Old people, women and children. All innocent lives found guilty based on their heritage."

Elyrie did not dare to answer. She knew how black and white some people could think about being Fire Nation and being the enemy.

"Did he succeed?" she asked carefully.

"No," Sokka answered while clenching his jaw, "We prevented the loss of lives, but the town was destroyed."

"That was very brave of you" she answered with a smile.

Sokka nodded and thought about their earlier conversation. He had known there were not only good people and Fire Nation, like she said. He had acted on it even before he had realized it.

"So, what is it that is truly bothering you?" he asked as he turned his chair to face her. Her dark blue eyes continued to look at her folded hands in her lap.

"You know, when Zhao lowered Tui back into the water?" she asked Sokka, even though it was obvious he would remember that. "For a moment there," she said, "I was convinced everything would work out. That he would give up his delusional quest."

"But then," she continued, "He attacked Tui even so." She inhaled deeply to calm her racing heart. "He killed the Moon Spirit!" she said, her voice slightly trembling as she remembered that horrible moment. Sokka nodded slowly, not wanting to interrupt her.

"I should have seen it coming." Elyrie said in a small voice, "I have seen him do unspeakable things to innocent people, but at that moment I was convinced he would do the right thing."

"But he didn't and Yue paid the price." she said while chewing on her bottom lip. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. "And I feel guilty." she finally said out loud, "I feel so incredibly guilty. I could have prevented it if I had just used my better judgement and then none of this would have happened."

Because of her, the Water Tribe had lost their beloved princess. She could never feel at home here. Not when she was responsible for the grief that had taken over the city. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and tried to prevent them from falling down. Why was she chosen to live and had Yue been forced to sacrifice herself? That question had been crossing through her mind over and over again.

"Elyrie, it is not your fault," Sokka said while bending towards her, "You have done everything you could to help the Water Tribe." She looked up and he saw the tears glittering in her eyes.

"You risked your own life to come warn us about Zhao's plan, even before you knew you had family here." he continued, "That takes a lot of courage."

"That is kind of you to say" Elyrie answered in a small voice.

"Hey!" Sokka added with a smile, "I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true."

"Thank you, Sokka" she smiled at him.

"We all miss Yue," he said as he patted her hand, "But the best thing we can do now is honour her memory."

"You are right" Elyrie said as she wiped the edges of her sapphire eyes with her sleeve.

"Don't you know by now?" Sokka asked in a serious voice, "I am always right."

Then, she laughed out loud. And she laughed even harder when she saw his indignant face. Shaking his head, Sokka repressed a smile when he saw the light return in the sapphire eyes.

* * *

"Ahh" yawned Iroh with a content smile, "This is what I've been missing."

The soft petals of the cherry blossom twirled down as the older General laid on a massage table. Two young men were working on the knots in his strained back and shoulders.

"Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense?" he said happily, his cheerfulness in stark contrast with the seriousness of the hardships he and his nephew had endured the past weeks.

Only a few days ago did their raft reach the lavish resort on the Su Oku River. Hungry and tired, the staff had welcomed the banished prince and the Dragon of the West graciously. They were recognized as royalty and given the full respect of the spa staff, despite the little money they had to pay. Iroh had wasted no time and spoiled himself to all the luxuries the spa had to offer. Relaxing massages, delicious food and the company of kind people. Even the beach was a welcome addition; the warm weather suited him better anyway.

Zuko sat against the wall, his face partially covered by a large straw-hat. He did not share his Uncle's contentment. The past three weeks had been torture. He had no Avatar, no hopes of capturing him in the near future and he had left Elyrie in that frozen hell. It seemed everything worked against him. And to make matters even worse, it was almost that time of year again. The universe seemed to work even harder to make him feel more worthless than ever.

His Uncle, who had noticed his silence, came to sit next to him.

"I see," Iroh said in a soft voice, "It is almost the anniversary, isn't it?"

"Next week" Zuko said in a raspy voice, "It will be five years since I was banished."

"I lost it all. I want it back." he added as his eyes darkened, "I want the Avatar. I want my honour, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless." His voice slightly faltered at the last word.

"I'm sure he doesn't," Iroh said in a cheerful voice, "Why would he banish you if he didn't care?"

Zuko did not look at his Uncle, but stood up and walked away without saying another word.

"That came out wrong, didn't it?" Iroh asked the massagers sheepishly. He rubbed his neck and looked at the retreating figure of his nephew. There had to be something he could do to cheer up his nephew in this difficult time of year.

 _But I might need some help with that_ , he chuckled to himself.

* * *

**Happy holidays! :)**

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Book 2: Earth.**

**I had a question: what do you prefer when reading a fanfic?**

**Smaller chapters (which are posted more regularly) or long chapters, which might take longer but will cover the span of an entire episode?**

**Let me know!**


	28. Turning the Tides

"Tomorrow we will leave for the Earth Kingdom, buddy!" Aang said as he patted Appa on his head, "You can finally stretch your legs again!"

The skybison growled and revealed his enormous teeth, which were the size of small iceblocks. Elyrie chuckled when the gigantic animal laid back down with a loud thump. For such a ferocious looking animal, he was so gentle. She caressed his furry head and he growled softly at her.

"Where is the base?" Elyrie asked as she fed Appa a new cabbage, "Near Omashu?" Appa crushed the cabbage with ease between his massive teeth, the sound of the crackling vegetables echoing off the icy walls of his temporary stable.

"Yeah!" Aang nodded while playing with his wooden staff, "It is just on the west coast of the Earth Kingdom." The swift motions of his staff ignited a small wind, which blew some of Elyrie's curls out of the long braid that hung over her back. She looked up and saw Aang twirling small whiffs of air around him. His fidgeting, almost nervous, made her realise that he was eager to leave the North Pole.

"Can I brush him?" Elyrie asked as she pointed to the brush in bag Aang brought with him. She was not a natural when it came to handling animals, but for some reason she had a soft spot for the giant mountain of fur that yawned contently.

"But isn't that base halfway around the world?" Elyrie asked when she carefully brushed the fur on Appa's back, "How will you get there?"

"Appa!" Aang said while patting his furry friend, "He can fly us there in less than four days if everything goes according to plan."

"That is amazing!" Elyrie exclaimed. She had never realised how fast a flying bison could to travel. _How wonderful it must be to travel like that, not hindered by the tides or rocky roads,_ she mused as she continued to brush Appa. If he had to make such a long journey, he deserved some pampering.

"Of course we have to stop a few times to rest," Aang said while he fed Appa large cabbages, "Appa is not made of stone, are you, boy?" He grinned when Appa licked his friend with his enormous tongue. Aang was lifted off his feet by the force, but landed just as gently.

Elyrie giggled at the sight and patted Appa herself. His fur felt like soft grass and she furred through his manes. Appa seemed to like it and gave her a nudge. She braced herself for the impact, like on the Fire Nation ship, but it was much softer this time.

"He likes you" Aang said as he bended the liquid traces of Appa's affections off his clothing.

"I am glad, because I like him too!" Elyrie confessed with a smile as she handed the brush back to Aang, "You know, I am not very good with animals."

"Really?" Aang asked as he took the brush from her, "How come?"

"No idea," she answered while playing with the end of her braid, "Some people have that special connection with animals, but I seem to lack that gift. I can never quite understand what they are thinking and I think that scares me a little bit."

"You know, " Aang said as he used his bending to lift the fresh water into Appa's open mouth, "Animals can tell you a lot about the character of a person. If Appa likes someone, I know I can trust that person."

"I have heard something like that before," Elyrie answered while twirling the end of her braid around her finger, "Their instinct is very strong, right?"

"Exactly," Aang nodded, "So just remember this: look at how an animal approaches you. You can tell a lot from that, which makes it easier to judge their intentions."

Elyrie looked into the big brown eyes of the skybison, who looked back with affection at her. His eyes were gently, she could see it. _Aang is right_ , she mused, _Animals could never feign love or trust like people could._ Quite ironic, that she was more comfortable confronting and defying Zhao than she was patting a regular polarbear-dog. Even more dangerous animals, like the poisonous spider-serpent that lived in the Fire Nation, would only attack when they would feel threatened. Involuntarily, her mind wandered off to Azula, who was just as deadly as a spider-serpent. But her poison was far more dangerous. She could lie and manipulate like no one could. Elyrie quickly shook her head and repressed a shudder. Instead, she turned to the young Avatar.

"Thank you," she said to Aang with a smile, "I'll remember that."

She looked over her shoulder and saw that the sun was setting over the ocean. "We need to head back," she said as she picked up her robe and swung it over her shoulder, "You can't miss your own goodbye party!"

Back in the palace, Elyrie walked cheerfully to her room. She pushed aside the woollen fabric which shielded her room from the icy corridor. Her room was large but surprisingly comfy. The icy floor was covered in white furs, which made it a delight to walk barefoot. It was like the softest grass, especially in this place where grass was extremely rare. On the left wall, a large bed with fluffy pillows and large blankets took up almost one side of the room. It was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in.

A closet for her new clothes was placed on the other end of the room, next to a wooden dresser with a mirror and a chair in front of it. A bookcase, stuffed with volumes about traditions and the history of the Northern Water Tribe, took up the last wall.

But the most comfortable spot was the soft rug before the build-in fireplace, placed next to her bed. The heater, made from left over steel, was her personal heater in this cold place and she lit it herself every time she entered. The freezing temperatures were so extreme that the heating did not even melt the icy walls, but was just enough to keep her warm. Her Nana had told her that her blood ran warm, so she would adjust to the colder climate soon enough. Elyrie chuckled, since she doubted it very much. She was the only firebender with permanent cold hands, so it seemed like her blood was not as hot as was expected.

She knew she had some time before her grandmother would come and help her get ready for the feast that evening. In honour of Aang, Katara, Kun and Sokka, as well as the departing waterbenders who went to the Southern Tribe to help rebuild their sister tribe. With food, music and songs, it was a celebration everybody needed after such a troubled time.

Loosening her braid, she combed her fingers through her auburn curls and shook out her hair. After a warm bath, provided by herself, she took place behind her dresser. No doubt today her hair needed to be pinned up, like Jin used to do.

She felt a sting go through her heart when she taught of her friend. She had sent the jewels and the apology to the address of Jin's family, but there was no way to know for certain that it had arrived. She only hoped it did. _Maybe some day I know for certain_ , she thought as she reached for her comb.

Then, she saw a small scroll lying in front of her mirror. That had not been there before, she was certain of it. Her name was written on it in a beautiful handwriting. She broke the red wax and rolled out the parchment.

_Dearest Elyrie,_

_I hope you are enjoying your time with your family at the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko and I are currently residing at a wonderful village resort on the Su Oku River. Don't you worry, we are doing well. This resort has offered us a comfortable room with all the luxury we can dream of!_

_Zuko seemed down since our return from the North Pole. You know it has been almost five years in a few days. If you can (and want, of course) would you like to visit us sometime? I know it would cheer him up immensely to see you again._

_Now, I have another tea brewing session planned so I will end the letter. I hope to hear from you soon!_

_Love,_

_Uncle Iroh_

Elyrie let out a sigh of relief as she reread the letter again. Uncle and Zuko were safe! She pressed the parchment against her chest, as if to feel their presence.

She did not just miss the Fire Nation. She missed two friends in particular. She stood up and picked an atlas from her bookcase. Placing the atlas on her dresser, she scanned the map for the resort Uncle had described in his letter.

She leaned back and let out a defeated sigh when she saw where it was located. It would take weeks to get there, especially on a boat through hostile territory. There was no way she could get there in time.

_Unless…_

She sat back up. She could accompany Aang and the rest to their first stop, which was undoubtedly near the colonies. It would take less than two days to get there. She could make it.

"Calm down, Lily" she reprimanded herself while massaging her temples with her two fingers. What had happened in less than a month was more than she had bargained for, but she had to accept the situation and live on as best as she could. Sitting in front of the mirror, she thought about what Sokka had said. She had to honour Yue's memory and her request to help the Water Tribe as best she could. And she would do that. There was no time for a small vacation now.

But she missed the Fire Nation. She missed her home country. She chuckled humourlessly. _The country everyone here despises, yet I yearn for it._

She let her chin rest on her palm when she looked in the mirror. _That is because they never went there_ , she mused while playing with a loose curl. Without realizing it, she began to sing to relieve her homesickness.

_How can I desert you?  
How to tell you why  
Stay, I pray you_

_Let me have a moment  
Let me say goodbye  
To bridge and river, forest and waterfall  
Orchard, sea and sky_

She smiled at the old song, written in honour of the Fire Nation country. It was an old folksong about a traveller who was eager to see the world, only to yearn for his own country. She did not miss the irony at the moment.  
_  
Harsh, and sweet, and bitter to leave it all  
I'll bless my homeland till I die_

Her high voice echoed off the icy walls, creating a wonderful acoustic effect.

_How to break the tie?  
We have shared our tears  
And shared our sorrows  
Though the scars remain  
Tears will never dry  
I'll bless my homeland till I die_

The second verse hit her hard when she continued the song. She felt the longing the traveller must have felt when he had abandoned his home.

_Never to return  
Now I'm breaking free  
But you are all I know  
You have raised me  
How to turn away?  
How to close the door?  
How to go where I've never been before_

_Let me have a moment  
Let me say goodbye  
Harsh, and sweet, and bitter to leave it all  
I'll bless my homeland till I die_

Tears pricked behind her eyes but she refused to allow them to spoil the last evening with Aang, Katara, Sokka and Kun. She smiled as she shook out her damp curls.

"Elyrie?" she heard the voice of her grandmother outside the room call her. Elyrie put on a brave smile, "Please, enter!" she said in a cheerful voice.

The woollen fabric was pushed aside and the smiling face of her grandmother appeared. Despite her advantaged age, she seemed years younger than she was. _In her youth she must have been a rare beauty_ , Elyrie thought as she respectfully bowed her head to the older woman. Her olive skin had very few wrinkles and even though her dark-brown hair had gotten grey, it suited her very well. It gave her an elegant appearance. Her figure was still slender and she was unusually tall for a woman, taller than Elyrie was. Elyrie chuckled, because now she knew where her genes came from. She was by no means extraordinary tall, but with her 5'7, she was above average in the Fire Nation.

"So dear," her Nana began as she looked at the damp hair of her granddaughter, "Are you excited about tonight?" She motioned for Elyrie to sit down and picked up the comb to brush the auburn-coloured curls.

"I saw the great hall on my way here," Elyrie said as she watched her grandmother in the mirror, "It looked beautiful with all the lights and decorations!"

"Yes, it does," her Nana chuckled as she pulled up the curls into a fashionable braided updo, "I am glad we have a celebration after the hardships of the past weeks."

"As do I," Elyrie nodded as she watched her own reflection. Her eye fell on the letter and felt a small sting again. _Uncle would have loved this_ , she mused before she shook her head and turned around. Her Nana hold up a beautiful sapphire-coloured dress with white fur-trimmings on the edges of the skirt and sleeves. "Would you try it on?" she asked with a motherly smile as she handed it to the girl.

"You look absolutely beautiful" she exclaimed when Elyrie turned around in the dress. "Thanks to you" Elyrie answered as her grandmother took her small hands into hers, "Thank you for everything you have done for me."

Her grandmother pushed a strand of hair out of the pale face of her granddaughter as he gave her a small nudge on her chin. "Come, it is time for a party!" she said as she took the arm of the girl.

* * *

The wall of flames revealed nothing about the dark silhouette sitting behind them. A young girl with raven-black hair knelt before the flames, feeling the heat on her face as she bowed her head. Her yellow eyes glittered with enjoyment as she waited for the orders she was about to receive.

"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure", the deep voice of the silhouette said. The girl looked up, her yellow eyes gleaming as her lips formed into a small smirk. This is what she had been waiting for.

"I have a task for you."

* * *

Across the sea, a young woman sat at the large table for a banket. Unlike the spicy dishes served in the Fire Nation, the Water Tribe used more sea fruits and fishes. She loved most of it, but the sea prunes were not exactly her favourite. Pushing the prunes around on her plate, she saw Aang feeding pieces to Momo when no one was looking. She grinned when his guilty grey eyes met hers. She winked at him and tossed Momo a piece from her plate under the table. The lemur flew on it as if it had not have been fed for days.

She chuckled before the man next to her cleared his throat to get her attention. Elyrie repressed a sigh of annoyance. Next to her sat Hahn, the former fiancé of Princess Yue. What she had heard from Yue, she did not particularly care for him. She did not say this out loud though. The last thing she wanted to be was impolite in front of her newfound family, who had given her so much.

But the young man had appeared almost everywhere she was. When she was taking a stroll, there he was. When there was an official dinner, he sat in the seat next to hers. When she was watching the waterbending training, there he was 'working out'.

He was handsome, rude and conceited. Everything about him made her skin crawl. His arrogant manner, his pompous use of words and his obvious vanity and obsession with his looks. Just now, he had told her about his heroic actions during the Siege of the North. For the tenth time. She had trailed off, because one can only feign so much interest.

"And there I was," Hahn said with his chest puffed out, "Facing at least thirty soldiers alone when I climbed aboard of the main ship."

Elyrie took a sip of her mulled wine to hide her smile. Every time he told that story, the number of soldiers seemed to increase. _How convenient,_ she chuckled to herself, _an infinite growing number of soldiers. He better not tell anyone his secret otherwise that army would have been unstoppable._

"You must be proud to sit next to one of the heroes of the Siege." He said as continued to flick his hair around. "Delighted." Elyrie pressed her lips together but the sarcastic tone was unable to hide. Her eyes met Sokka's, who was sitting on the other side of the table. His mouth stuffed, he tried to prevent himself from laughing out loud. Elyrie shook her head with an amused smile.

"Admiral Chow was surprised by my attack." Hahn continued, "After I had defeated the fifty soldiers on the ship."

"Zhao." Elyrie mumbled behind her cup. She felt her grip tighten until she was sure she could break the cup with just her hand. "Didn't he throw you in the ocean?" she asked innocently to lift up her spirits. Hahn was getting on her nerves and she enjoyed the look of shame that crossed his face.

He was silent for a few minutes, which she used to talk with Kun who was sitting on her other side. He was excited to go back to his home, but Elyrie saw him more than once exchange glances with the pretty Water Tribe girl on the other side of the table. She knew her name was Lyana and she saw a faint blush on her olive skin whenever Kun looked in her direction. Elyrie took a sip of her wine to hide her smile when she saw the blush that stained Kun's pale cheeks.

"You must be hearing rumours about us" Hahn suddenly said while flicking his hair away from his face, undoubtedly an attempt to woo her. She almost spit out the mulled wine.

"Beg pardon?" she coughed in an attempt to win some time to make sure she had heard him correctly. _Us?_ she thought as she tried to wipe the stains from the table with her napkin, _when was there an 'us'?_.

"I was promised Yue's hand in marriage." Hahn answered with his eyes on her profile, "But that didn't work out." He watched the newest member of the Royal Family clean the table with her napkin. She had a pretty profile and the classic blue eyes of the Water Tribe. Like Yue, her appearance was not like any other in the Northern Water Tribe. He liked that, especially because she came with the most benefits now that Yue was gone.

"And what has this exactly to do with me?" Elyrie asked in a calm voice and looked him into his eyes, crumpling up the napkin.

"Since her departure," the young man said while flipping his hair out of his face again, "I have no longer a betrothal"

"Neither have I," Elyrie replied, her sapphire eyes gleaming with irritation because she knew which way this conversation was heading, "And I am quite content that way."

"You must know that the people are expecting us to marry." Hahn countered as he started tapping impatiently on the table.

"I am done with complying to other people's wishes." Elyrie replied as she picked up her cup of wine. She did not sip from it, however. She felt her fingers tighten around the cup, ready to throw it if he dared to insult her again.

"That is not how a proper woman behaves," Hahn said in a condescending tone, "A true woman is obedient and dutiful. She must support her husband and is to be seen and –"

"Better seen and not heard?" she interrupted with a sneer, the wine in her cup now boiling from the heat she was igniting, "I have heard that before."

"But-," he began before she cut him off by raising her other hand. "No." she said decisively.

"You might not get another proposal" he said. "I'll take that chance." she answered while uncrossing her legs to stand up. When he grabbed her wrist, she didn't hesitate and poured all the hot wine she had over his head. It was not hot enough to burn him, but just enough to thicken and make a sticky mess of his proud hair.

A wave of shocked murmurs went through the hall. Everyone stared at her when she placed the empty cup over Hahn's ponytail, so it could stand upside down. She knew it was petty, but she didn't care.

"Please, excuse me." She said in a polite tone before making a curtsy and walked out of the great hall without looking at anyone.

As soon as she was out of sight, she began to run. She ran all the way back to her room. She felt herself slightly shaking. She was not used to speaking out like that. But even the mention of another betrothal made her blood boil and her skin crawl. Especially to such a figure as Hahn.

She sighed as she pushed aside the woollen fabric, wondering if she would be reprimanded for speaking out against such an important family of the Northern Water Tribe. _Or humiliating such an important family_ , she thought as she picked up a pillow and gave it a few punches. She wanted to scream into the pillow, just scream to let out the frustrations. But she didn't. She threw her pillow on her bed and began to pace back and forth.

"I've been here for barely a month!" she yelled to no one in particular. She knew about the customs. The patriarchy. _If I thought the Fire Nation nobility had few opportunities for women, I was sorely mistaken._ Marriages for convenience were common, but the woman always had a say in the matter. Women were free to educate themselves and serve in the army. Here even the female benders were excluded from battle and forced to stick to healing. Katara might study waterbending here, but she was an exception.

Elyrie let herself fall down on her bed. She felt everything inside her turn when she though of another engagement. She inhaled a shaky breath, feeling her skin heat up as if her body physically rejected the idea. "Not again, never again" she mumbled as she wringed her hands together, "Not another prison."

In her anger and frustration, she pulled the pins from her hair until her curls were all down her back. Igniting her fists, she wanted to burn something to the ground. This was unlike her, she never lost her temper. _So this is what Zuko feels like every day_ , she mused as she extinguished the flames from her hands. She chuckled as she felt her anger and frustration cool down. _There had to be a first for everything_ , she mused as he lit up her fingers and watched as the flames danced over her fingertips. It was a soothing sight and she felt the calmness come over her again.

After what felt like hours, she heard Kun call her name. "Elyrie?" the familiar voice said from the other side of the fabric. Elyrie sighed and sat back up. There was no need to postpone the inevitable any longer.

"Come in" she said as she straightened her dress and tucked her loose strands of hair behind her ears.

Kun entered with a serious look on his face. "Chief Arnook requests your presence in the sitting room." he said as he extended his arm to the young woman. Elyrie took it without protesting.

"I'm sorry I created such a scene during your party" Elyrie said as they walked through the icy corridors of the Royal Palace. To her surprise, Kun chuckled. "No problem at all" he grinned, "you created quite a stir. Especially Sokka seemed to enjoy your little stunt."

Elyrie pressed her lips together to prevent herself from giggling. Then a shadow crossed her face when she thought of the reprimanding that was about to come. About the arranged marriage that was planned for her. Her nostrils flared and her skin heated up again, as if her body prepared itself for an Agni Kai.

Kun noticed it and placed his large hand over her small hand, which rested on his arm. "Maybe it will turn out all right." he said in a comforting tone just as they reached the wooden door which let to the private quarters of the Chief. The room where she had first spoken to her family, to warn them about Zhao's plans.

"I hope so" she sighed as she let go of his arm, "Thank you for accompanying me." Kun smiled and bowed before he walked away.

Elyrie took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The sound echoed throughout the corridors. "Come in" the deep voice of the Chief said. Inhaling sharply, Elyrie pushed open the door.

Chief Arnook, Panuk and her grandmother were all sitting down and looked at her when she entered the room. Even Aang was present, sitting in the corner of the room. _I need to beg forgiveness from a lot of people so it seems,_ Elyrie thought as she clenched her fists, _at least Hahn is not here._

"Elyrie," the older woman began as she looked at her granddaughter, "You know what we want to talk about."

It did not sound like a question, so Elyrie didn't answer. Neither did she sit down. She started to turn her mother's ring around her finger and avoided the blue eyes of her grandmother.

"Hahn's family is very important here," her Chief Arnook continued, "We need to keep the Tribe together, especially now."

"When was this discussed?" Elyrie asked as dug her nails into her palms, "I have never heard of an engagement until this evening."

"Hahn's betrothal was ended after the Siege," Chief Arnook said stiffly, "So he and his father demanded a new bride."

"But I am very happy to never marry. You don't need me to carry on the Royal bloodline." Elyrie said quickly as she lifted her head. She knew she was not to be the next in line. The lineage was male, so Panuk would be the next Chief. And after that, his son when he came of age.

"You have to understand, dear" the older woman said in a soft voice, "That there are rules in place which dictate how we live."

"You break every rule when it matters enough, Nana," Elyrie answered with a calm voice, "I am the evidence. My mother did not agree with the rules, that is why she left."

That hits the target, because she saw the eyes of the old woman soften.

"Nana, I want to belong here," Elyrie continued as she lifted her chin and straightened her back, "You have no idea how much, but I won't be forced into this. I was someone's fiancée once against my better judgement and I will never make that mistake again." She felt her heartbeat increase. "I will not be forced into marriage, not now, not ever. I have been engaged to a man whom I did not love and I still carry the consequences of that decision."

"I don't want to create a rift," she continued as she looked from person to person, "But you have to understand how troubling this is for me. I was not raised with your customs, nor is arranged marriage something that is very common in the Fire Nation. You can't expect me to completely adjust to a new culture in less than a month?"

Three pair of blue eyes looked at her, unreadable. Chief Arnook looked at the girl in front of him. She had stood there when he first saw her. On her own, to warn the Water Tribe for the upcoming danger. Her gentleness and polite manners were not to be mistaken for weakness. With her chin lifted and her back straight, she looked as if she was ready to fight until the end.

He remained silent as his thoughts wandered off to his own daughter. She had accepted the arranged marriage without question and obliged to the expectations of her people. Had she been hesitant as well? He would never know now. She seemed content with the arrangements, as was customary in their Tribe. He himself was married out of duty. He came to love his Kiana with all his heart, but that was not the way it always happened. Thyra had proven it.

"You truly are your mother's daughter" Chief Arnook said while stroking his chin, "Thyra had the same opinion about arranged marriages. And if it is any consolation: we never agreed on a match between you and Hahn. It was something he tried to arrange himself, but we all saw how it was received."

Panuk chuckled and Elyrie looked down, slightly embarrassed. "I do apologize for creating such a scene during the banket" she said as she twisted her little finger. "Don't be sorry" Panuk said with a smile, "It was about time someone put him in his place."

Elyrie exchanged looks with her younger uncle, who gave her a wink. Her Nana, however, remained serious and looked at her granddaughter. "And we know you are homesick." she said with a motherly look.

"You do?" Elyrie asked as she looked up in alarm. "Yes, dear" her Nana answered with a gentle smile, "Words travel fast over an icy surface. Especially if they are sung in such a sad song by such a talented singer."

"Elyrie, we apologize if you feel forced or restrained by us and our customs," Panuk said with a kind smile to his niece. He had grown very fond of the spirited young girl. "If your mother taught us anything, it was that rules were meant to be broken once in a while."

"We want so much for you to feel at home here, but we understand that it cannot happen overnight," her grandmother continued as she stood up and took the hands of her granddaughter, "We know you received an invitation from old friends, so you are welcome to accompany the Avatar and his friends on the way there."

Elyrie was so surprised that she did not even ask how they knew about the invitation. She looked at Aang, who nodded at her enthusiastically. "We'll travel together until we reach the colonies, and from there you and Kun could take a boat to your desired destination. Do you want to come?"

"Can I?" she asked as her voice started to tremble with excitement, "Oh, can I really?"

"Of course!" Aang smiled at her, "We would love to have you come with us!"

Touched by so much kindness and understanding, Elyrie embraced her grandmother warmly. "Thank you, Nana" she whispered. Her grandmother patted her on the back. "You are a good girl and you deserve to be happy. I owe it to my darling Thyra to help her daughter in any way I can."

"Know that you always have a home to return to," The Chief said as he placed his hand on her small shoulders in a fatherly manner, "Because you are our family and that will never change."

* * *

"I am in no mood for surprises, Uncle" Zuko groaned with his back turned to the door. He laid on his bed in the small cabin he and his Uncle occupied during their stay in the resort. The sun was going down, but it was almost completely dark in the small room. He had closed the shutters and did not bother to light a candle.

Tomorrow would be the anniversary of his banishment. Five long years of yearning and dreaming of redemption, but he was still not a step closer to restoring his honour. No surprise could make him feel better.

"Not even for an old friend?" A laugh like a clattering waterfall followed. Zuko immediately sat up straight and looked at the smaller silhouette which stepped from behind his Uncle's.

A few golden rays of sunshine had slipped through the shutters, just enough to illuminate the face which belonged to the small silhouette. His golden eyes met the glittering blue eyes and he saw a smile that he would recognize anywhere.

"Hi Zuko"


	29. Soothing Waves

***Revised 9/1/2021***

**I rewrote part of this chapter because I was not entirely happy with the first draft. Hope you like the (albeit small) changes!**

**Special thanks to formerAnnie for her feedback :)**

* * *

There are some people that can make your heart instantly beat faster.

There are some people that light up a room, just by their presence.

There are some people that can make you smile by just seeing their face.

If you are lucky, you will find a person that can make you smile every day. No matter how difficult or how dark everything seems at that moment, you cannot help yourself but smile in their presence.

And for Zuko, that one person just entered his dark and gloomy room.

"Hi Zuko," he heard a female voice say, "Glad to see you again."

Elyrie saw his dark silhouette sitting up straight. "Lily!" he answered, his baritone surprisingly clear in the dark. Elyrie felt a wave of affection go through her at the sound of her pet name. She had not told anybody about her pet name at the North Pole. For some reason, it felt extremely private and she was not ready to share something so personal with her newfound family just yet. But she could have known that Zuko would call her that. He barely had called her anything else for as long as she remembered.

Smiling, she walked over to the shutters to open them. The setting sunlight filled the room with an orange light. Zuko stood up from the matrass and walked towards her as his eyes adjusted to the light.

In the light, Elyrie was finally able to see his face. It was healed, for which she was glad. The bruises and cuts had disappeared and his alabaster skin was as smooth as she remembered. His cheeks were somewhat hollow, no doubt the result from the weeks without food and water. His hair was still shaven except for the ponytail. His eyes, the colour of molten gold, looked red and puffyd as if he had not slept in days. She did not doubt for a second that the last few weeks had taken their toll on him. Nevertheless, it seemed like his lips formed a smile.

Zuko walked towards Elyrie, just as she opened the shutters. Shielding his eyes from the bright light that filled the room, he walked towards the small figure. When his eyes adjusted, he was able to see her more clearly. No longer wearing the long, flowing dresses, she was now dressed in a pair of blue pants and a thin, white vest. Her auburn hair was tied back into a low ponytail, which let small strands of hair dance freely around her heart-shaped face. She had a blush on her pale cheeks and her full lips were formed into a broad smile. The captivating sapphire eyes looked at him with the same happiness he felt when he finally saw her sweet face again.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he found his voice again. Her smile was so enchanting, he could not help himself but to answer her smile.

His eyes fell on the small scar on her temple, which was barely visible anymore. Only a thin white line had remained. _How different from my own_ , he involuntary thought. Again, the anger and desperation came back to the surface.

"I came to see you." Elyrie answered cheerfully, but she did not miss his eyes darkening, "I missed you." In a reflex, she grabbed his hand. Surprised at her reaction and her words, Zuko looked down as she closed her cool, slender fingers around his.

Before Elyrie could say anything, she felt Zuko pull her closer and place his arms around her in a swift motion. With one hand on her back and the other on the back of her head, he pressed the girl to his chest. Pleasantly surprised by his reaction, Elyrie placed her own arms around his waist. Burying his face in her shoulder, she heard him say "I missed you too, Lily."

Slightly pulling away, Elyrie looked at Zuko's face and saw the golden eyes brighten again. Relieved, she softly exhaled. As she did this, her full lips slightly parted. Zuko's golden eyes looked at her mouth for less than a second. He wondered how soft the touch of her lips could be. Elyrie saw his face lowering slightly and felt that her own heart started to pound faster.

Then, small cough brought the two back to the present moment.

Zuko let go of the girl and looked at Iroh, who was still standing on the doorstep with an amused smile. Sheepishly rubbing his neck, he nodded to his Uncle. He had completely forgotten he was there too.

"Prince Zuko," his Uncle said with knowing look, "Isn't it wonderful that Elyrie has rejoiced us with her presence here?"

"Yeah," Zuko stammered as he looked at the twinkling blue eyes, "I-, ehm, very wonderful."

Elyrie let out a small chuckle at his stammering. "Do you want to come to the beach with me?" she asked with a voice like warm honey. Zuko groaned and shook his head, scoffing at the suggestion. It was nothing his Uncle had not asked a million times since they arrived at the resort. "I promise you don't have to swim!" she added with a smile.

Looking back into her blue eyes, he wanted to refuse. Then he halted as he saw her expectant look. "Fine." he sighed. Elyrie clasped her hands together in delight as she practically danced to the door, her curls bouncing up and down behind her.

"Will you be joining us, Uncle?" she asked in a sweet voice as she placed her hand on his arm. Gently, the general patted her hand as he shook his head. "No dear," he answered, "I have a tea brewing session planned." He frowned his brow at the torn pants and old shirt his nephew was wearing, the rags from his outfit at the North Pole. "Prince Zuko, wouldn't you want to change first?" he asked carefully, "to something more appropriate for the beach?"

Zuko looked at his attire and felt his good cheek heat up. He had not been expecting company, so he had thrown on the first thing that was laying around the cabin. "Just a moment," he mumbled as he walked to the small closet, "I'll be right out."

Elyrie hid her smile behind her hand as she tactfully walked out of the room. His Uncle lingered in the doorstep for a moment before he said "Enjoy your evening, Prince Zuko." Zuko nodded to his Uncle as he grabbed a light red tunic and comfortable pants.

Fumbling with his torn shirt, he took a few deep breaths. Was she really here? He found it hard to believe. The last weeks had been nothing but misery and bad luck for him. The moment he had left her in that frozen hell, everything had spiralled downwards. He pulled his tunic over his head and straightened it. It still hurt that she had stayed there. After Zhao's demise, he had expected her to come with him. He _wanted_ her to come with him. He could have protected her and taken her with him when he returned to the Fire Nation with his honour, like his Uncle had said.

With one leg in his pants, he almost fell over because he was not paying attention to what he was doing. Steadying himself against the wall, he groaned. She had stayed behind for her family. People she barely knew. It made him irrationally angry for some reason, but then again: almost everything made him angry at this point.

But then, she came here and it was as if dawn itself had returned in his dark life. With her, it always was as if no time had passed between them. And now, she was waiting for a walk on the beach with him. His lips twitched again, forming a smile against his better judgement. He had refused his Uncle's requests a hundred times over, but he realised that he would even play the tsungi horn to be with her at this moment.

Elyrie looked around the resort and was pleasantly surprised at its beauty. Uncle had given her a quick tour just after she had arrived and shown her the massage parlours, relaxing pools and the beautiful beach. The village was located in a mountainous region close to the ocean, which created an unusually beautiful scenery. With a waterfall so close to the ocean and cherry trees surrounding the area, it almost seemed like she had designed the place herself.

 _The perfect cure for homesickness,_ she thought happily. Even though this place was technically not Fire Nation, the influences were visible everywhere in this part of the colony in the language, customs and architecture. The waterfall, beautiful mountains and the sight of the ocean was like one of the pictures in her books.

She kicked off her slippers and stepped off the wooden deck in the soft white sand. She cherished the feeling of soft sand beneath her bare feet. After weeks of steel and ice beneath her, it felt refreshing to feel warm sand again. The sweet scent of cherry blossom and grass tickled her nose as she inhaled deeply. Walking to the shoreline, she felt a pleasant shiver as the waves rolled over her bare feet.

Standing on the shore, she felt the pushing and pulling of the waves against her ankles. The clear water came again and again. The fresh air and salty sea breeze caressed her face.

Zuko saw her silhouette standing by the shoreline. The reddish-brown curls formed an aureole around her face as she stood with her back to the setting sun. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked when he came standing next to her, although out of reach of the waves.

"Look," she said as picked up a beautiful white shell, which curved upwards. Placing the shell against her ear, like her mother had shown her when she was small, she heard the sounds of waves. She handed the shell to Zuko, "Remember how Mama used to tell us that you could hear the sea in this, no matter how far from the ocean you were?"

Zuko nodded and when she handed him the shell, he saw the small white line on her left ring finger, where the engagement ring used to be. For some reason, it made him quite happy to see that it was gone. But he had noticed the other ring on her right hand. He took the smooth shell from her, but didn't raise it to his ear. "Lily," he asked tentatively, "Where did you get the ring?"

Elyrie turned her hand to look at the stone. "It was my mother's" she answered with a smile as she extended her hand to Zuko so he could get a better look, "It was the engagement ring my father had given her."

"It is beautiful," he answered as he lightly lifted her slender fingers to his eyes. The ring was made of white-gold and was more delicate than the pompous ring Zhao had given to her. The sapphire was almost the same colour as her eyes. "It suits you" he said as he let go of her hand.

"I think so too!" she retracted her hand with a smile and let her thumb go over the sapphire.

For a time, neither of them said anything as they began to walk across the shoreline. It was not an uncomfortable silence, on the contrary: they simply enjoyed each other's company in silence. Zuko had never been a man who enjoyed meaningless chitchat very much. Nothing bothered him more than people who continued to fill the silence by talking about superficial subjects like the weather or his health. To make matter worse: that was all the people in the resort seemed to talk about.

Zuko growled and kicked a small stone in the water as he thought about the last couple of days. They had stretched on like a yawning void, inevitably leading up to tomorrow. _Tomorrow_ , he thought as he felt his chest constrict.

"Lily," Zuko finally said as he continued to walk alongside her, "Why have you come here?" Her arrival was so unexpected and so well-timed, he refused to believe it was a mere coincidence that she was here. "I thought you needed to stay at the Northern Water Tribe?"

Elyrie bit her lip before she answered. Instinctively, she felt that he did not need to hear that his Uncle had summoned her as a means of distraction. Moreover, it was not entirely true. She exhaled slowly as she kept looking at the shoreline in front of her.

"To tell you the truth," she began as she started to turn her ring around her finger, "I was homesick." She cursed herself as soon as the word had left her lips.

Zuko raised his eyebrows as she walked out of the waves and let herself fall down in the warm, white sand.

"Homesick?" he asked, unable to believe that she of all people could feel unhappy.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she knew she was entering dangerous territory. If anybody was homesick, it was him. She had not come here to tell her own depressing stories. But they had never lied to each other.

"It was truly a blessing to learn more about my mothers culture and the other part of my history," she said while turning her sapphire ring around, "But it was all quite overwhelming."

Zuko saw that she started to twist her ring, signalling she was nervous. "It is a vastly different place," she slowly explained with her eyes fixed on the horizon as the sun started to touch the surface of the ocean, "It is a tight-knit community and people are very welcoming."

"The only thing is, I felt like an outsider. Not just because I am Fire Nation, but because everything is so different from everything we grew up with. The culture, the customs, even the food! They all tried their hardest to make me feel welcome, but I could not shake the feeling."

Elyrie walked out of the waves and let herself fall down in the warm sand in the hope to calm her nerves, but it was no use. The fear and helplessness she felt when Hahn began about another marriage resurfaced.

"When I was there," she said as while still kicking the sand beneath her feet, "One of the man proposed the idea of marriage since it was something that was expected of me."

Zuko's hand tightened around the shell she had given him until he heard a soft cracking beneath his palm.

"I refused and might have thrown my wine over his head in the process," Elyrie continued as Zuko sat down next to her.

"You threw wine over him?" Zuko repeated with raised eyebrows. His prim and proper friend who never spoke out of turn had thrown wine over somebody who proposed marriage. It was an amusing idea.

But when he looked at her face, she did not smile. Instead, her eyes darkened as the last rays of sunshine disappeared behind the waves of the ocean. On the dark blue canvas of the night sky, the stars and moon became visible.

"My family fortunately agreed with me that marriage was not the most logical next step for me" she said as she looked at Zuko and her blue eyes hardened, "But all the time it felt like I was a foreigner and I just felt-," she said as her voice broke.

"Alone?" Zuko finished for her.

She sighed and turned to look at him. His eyes almost glowed in the dark. She away from his compassionate eyes and felt foolish. She was here to cheer him up, yet now he was the one comforting her.

"Yes" she whispered as she looked at the Moon, "But I am so sorry to cast such a shadow on a lovely evening." She pulled the ribbon from her hair and let her curls fall down her face as she twirled a strand of hair between her slender fingers.

"You never cast a shadow," Zuko said as he pushed a stray lock out of her face, "Every where you come, you are light itself."

She smiled at him and let her head rest against his shoulder. "You flatter me," she said, although she smiled, "I came here because I missed you. I missed Uncle. I missed my home." She let her hand rest on his knee, "And you have no idea how happy I am to be here."

With the starry sky above them, the waves provided a soothing musical symphony. The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a long time. Zuko absentmindedly caressed her long hair as he watched the waves in front of him. Her familiar scent of roses comforted him, just like she had done so often. _And you have no idea how happy I am to see you again_ , he thought to himself.

 _Maybe it is not always about avoiding hardships_ , Elyrie mused while enjoying how Zuko stroked her hair, _Maybe we can find solace in comforting others as well. Compassion is a wonderful thing; it can help you see things from another perspective and help yourself as well._

"Frankly, I don't know where to go from here." Elyrie said, breaking the silence. "For the first time, the path that lies ahead is determined by only me."

"And isn't that what you always wanted?" Zuko asked as he continued to let her soft hair slip between his fingers. It was so simple, yet so comforting to have her with him here.

"It is!" she said cheerfully as she stood up to stretch her strained muscles, asleep from sitting long in the same position. Zuko let the strands of hair slip out his hand as she pushed herself up.

"Perhaps I'll travel the world as a writer," Elyrie said as she twirled around " or an opera singer, wouldn't that be lovely?" She started humming as Zuko glanced at a loose curl that fell over her shoulder.

Zuko shook his head with a smile. Leaning back on his elbows, he watched her twirl and hum. This was the Lily he knew, full of laughter. "What would you write about then?" he asked as she stopped twirling and sat down again.

"Oh, everything!" she exclaimed as she sat down on her knees, "I have spend my entire life reading books, so maybe I finally put them to use?"

"And what do you want to sing then?" he asked as his hand went over in the warm sand. "Love songs, lullabies, folksongs!" she chuckled as stood back up and made a mocking bow, as if she thanked the invisible audience, "Everything I know!"

She extended her hand to help him stand up. "Come, it is late." she said as he grasped her hand, cool fingers entangling warm ones, "We need to head back."

"So," Zuko said as they walked back, "This means that whole world can enjoy the noise you so often produce, both on paper and in real life?" Elyrie threw her head in her neck and laughed. "Of course!" she said with glittering eyes, "Why torture only you when there are so many others?"

Zuko shook his head and she stepped in front of him and walked backwards so she could look him in the eyes. "Is there by any chance a piano here?" she asked, "I haven't played in a long time."

"There is," Zuko answered, "But do you really need it to sing?"

"Zuko," she answered with a glitter of mischief in her eyes, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted me to sing."

"Don't be ridiculous." he answered with a smirk. She laughed again as continued to walk backwards. "Any requests?" she asked playfully as she raised her arched eyebrow.

"Surprise me" Zuko answered.

Then, she started to sing. Soft, but clear and pure.

_I can hear you  
You can hear me  
When we listen with our hearts_

_I understand you  
You understand me  
That's a place where we can start_

Her soprano reached a crescendo and echoed over the smooth surface of the sea.

_Words of kindness and forgiveness  
Bring us closer, not apart  
When we speak our minds  
And listen with our hearts_

In her enthusiasm, she did not pay attention where she was going and her heels met the wooden deck behind her which separated the resort from the beach. Zuko grabbed his arm when she almost stumbled backwards on the deck.

"Thanks!" she laughed as she grabbed his lower arms with both hands to steady herself. When she stepped backwards on the deck, her eyes levelled with Zuko's. His warm, golden eyes looked beautiful, she involuntary noticed.

"Don't mention it" he answered as he stepped on the deck and swept the sand from his clothing. Elyrie followed his example and ran her fingers through her long curls to pat off any leftover sand.

Iroh smiled when the pair entered the cabin. Zuko looked a lot better, he immediately noticed. A glimpse of a smile was visible in his golden eyes. Iroh sighed content. He had been so down the last time.

"I have made some special tea for you, dear!" Iroh said to Elyrie as he motioned to the steaming pot on the table, "It is a blend of jasmine and lychees!"

Zuko groaned at his Uncle and his tea obsession, but Elyrie smile widened.

"It sounds wonderful, Uncle" the girl answered as she sat down at the table. She took a sip from the cup Uncle offered her. The sweet, warm drink tasted delicious. _Uncle's tea is always delicious_ , she mused as she took another sip.

"Now," Iroh said as he gave Zuko a cup and sat down as well, "I want to hear everything about your stay at the North Pole!"

So Elyrie told them everything that had happened to her. It almost seemed like a fairtyale when she told the whole story. She told how she had stowed away on the battleship and got picked up by waterbenders and brought to the Chief. How she had been recognized and her relation to the Water Tribe was made known. That her family were no mere commoners, but members of the Royal Family. That her mother was Thyra, the lost princes of the Northern Water Tribe. The lost princess who ran away from home, only for her daughter to return years later to take her rightful place.

"So you are a Princess of the Northern Water Tribe then?" Zuko asked in disbelief. The whole story had baffled him. He thought she had found her family among the commoners. _This could only happen to her_ , he thought amused.

"Don't look so shocked," Elyrie answered with a playful look, "Have you never noticed my royal appearance and natural elegance?"

"Just a minute ago, I noticed you falling over because you were not paying attention to where you were going" Zuko quipped with an arched eyebrow.

Elyrie let out a sparkling laugh. "But to answer your question: not exactly a Princess, but my mother certainly was!"

"That would explain a lot" Iroh said as he tapped his finger to his chin and thought about Thyra. He always had admired her and was saddened by her death. Her soft voice and natural grace was something that could only be achieved by growing up among generations of royal women. _Elyrie had inherited her poised demeanor,_ he mused, a _s well as the adaptable nature of the Water Tribe citizens_.

"Now I understand why my parents were always so adamant about not letting me try bending," Elyrie said as she lit up her fingers. The small flames danced over the tips as small candles. "If I turned out to be a waterbender, it could have been discovered."

"And once you turned out to be a firebender, they could not go back on their word." Iroh finished for her, as he remembered how hesitant her parents had been about the bending of her daughter. Yet, he wondered why neither of them had told her about her mother's heritage. They surely had a good reason, he didn't doubt it, but it made him curious nonetheless.

"Exactly," Elyrie answered as she extinguished the flames, "But I do wonder why I turned out to be a firebender. Has it something to do with your character?"

"Partly, but my theory is that it has something to do with your birthdate." Iroh said as he poured himself another cup of tea.

"Why?" Elyrie asked as she took another sip from her own tea.

"Your character is more fitting for a waterbender: calm and patient. Firebenders often have more temperament," Iroh said as he put down the pot and shot his nephew an obvious look. Zuko answered it with a glare.

"But you were born on the Summer Solstice," Iroh continued, ignoring his nephew and looking at the auburn-haired girl across the table, "During the Summer Solstice, firebending is at its strongest. They say that the most powerful benders are born around that time."

"So you think that I was destined to be a bender and my birthday was the tiebreaker?" Elyrie asked as she tapped her nails on the side of the cup, pondering his theory.

"More or less" Uncle nodded to her.

"I see," Elyrie answered as she placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn, "But forgive me. It was a long day and I am very tired." Stretching her arms above her head, she asked "Do you mind if I went to bed?"

"Of course not, dear", Iroh said as he rose from his chair. He walked over to the closet and handed her a blanket. "I prepared the cabin next to ours for you. Your bags are there already, but here is a blanket in case you are cold."

She took the blankets with a smile and embraced the older man. "Thank you for always being so thoughtful." she said warmly.

Iroh beamed with pride. "You are very welcome," he answered as a faint blush coloured his cheeks, "but now it is time to go to bed!"

* * *

The next morning, Zuko woke up long past sunrise.

Stretching his muscles, he blinked a few times to watch the bright sunlight that filled the small cabin. He felt well rested, undoubtedly the result from a good night sleep.

"Good morning, Prince Zuko" he heard the voice of his Uncle say, "Would you like some lunch?"

"Lunch?" Zuko repeated as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Yes," Iroh replied jovially, "It is almost noon."

"Noon?" Zuko repeated again as he jumped out of his bed to get dressed, "Why didn't you wake me?"

"What for?" Iroh asked innocently, "Did you have plans?"

Grumbling, Zuko said something that sounded like "Nothing." Iroh hid his smile by pretending to cough. The last days had been a great pain to get Zuko out of bed at all. _With a little bit of luck, he might even forget what day it is_ , Iroh mused as he watched his nephew pulling a shirt over his head. He knew that was too much wishful thinking, but it was nice to see Zuko enthusiastic for a change.

Zuko splashed a bit of water in his face to wash himself. In the small mirror, he tied his hair in a ponytail and inspected his reflection. Before he could open his mouth, his Uncle already responded: "on the pier."

Still mumbling, he thanked his Uncle and swiftly walked outside to the small pier. Build above the river, it was a beautiful place to look at the mountains. Zuko immediately spotted the auburn hair. Elyrie sat crossed-legged on a bench with a book in her lap. The book, bound in red leather, was opened at the middle. She must have sat there for quite some time.

"What are you reading?" he asked as he say down next to her. "Good morning!" Elyrie said with a radiant smile, "If even I am up before you, it says something."

"Yeah, yeah" he scoffed as he pointed to the book in her lap. "What is it?"

"A collection of old legends and myths" she answered as she showed him the beautiful picture of a castle on the side of a rock, "I was just starting with the myth about Eros and Psyche."

"What is that?" he asked when she placed a small piece of paper as a bookmark between the pages.

"A legend about a beautiful mortal woman who caught the attention of an immortal God." she answered as her finger trailed the golden letters on the cover. "Do you want to hear it?"

She opened her book again at the beginning of the story when Zuko nodded to her. When he saw her sitting there, he thought about the first time he had met her, more than fifteen years ago.

_With a grunt, the eight year old Prince threw the book against the wall. Despite his expensive education, reading was something that was a challenge for him. He hated the small letters that danced around when he tried to make sense of them._

_"Why did you do that?" a voice asked indignantly. When the young Prince looked up, he saw a girl with reddish-brown standing at the entrance of the library. She couldn't be older than his sister, but he had never seen her before._

_"Who are you?" he asked when the girl picked up the book he just had thrown off the table. "Elyrie" she answered without looking up. Instead, she inspected the cover and the back of the book to make sure it was still intact._

_"You shouldn't throw with books," she said in a high voice, "They didn't do anything to you."_

_"Maybe not to you," he answered as he crossed his arms in an annoyed manner, "But they are so boring."_

_The girl did not answer, but instead studied the title on the cover._ An Extensive Guide to the History of the Building of Temples. _"Is this all you read?" she asked as she placed the book on the table in front of Zuko._

_Zuko looked up and saw that the girl had big, dark blue eyes. She didn't look at him as if she wanted to taunt him, like Azula used to do whenever he couldn't do something._

_"Yes" he mumbled as he pushed the book away from him, "Books are boring."_

_The girl chuckled and Zuko looked up annoyed. "Don't laugh at me!" he exclaimed. But the blue eyes were not unkind. "I understand why you hate reading if this is all you read." She said as she walked to a bookcase. For a few moments, she said nothing as she let her small hand trail the backs of the books._

_"Here!" she said as she pulled a book from the shelf, "Maybe you like this!"_

_"What is it?" he asked as he let himself glide out of the chair by the table. "The Legend of Yue Fei" she answered as she climbed into a large chair next to the bookcase. She was so small and the chair so big that she almost sank into the pillows. "It is a story about a brave general who fought to defend his country and protect his family" she said as she placed the book on her lap, her tiny legs dangling above the floor._

_"You want me to read it to you?" she asked as she patted the empty spot next to her._ _He shrugged and climbed into the chair next to her. Then, she started to read out loud._

_Her voice was clear when she told of the heroic deeds of Yue Fei, the brave general who defended his country from foreign invaders. A symbol of loyalty, he always stood up for the poor and weak members of society._

_Zuko was entranced by the story, but just when the hero was about to leave to fight in the war, the two children were interrupted._

_"Lily!" a female voice called from outside the library. "I am here, Mama" the girl answered._

_Two women walked into the library. Elyrie immediately recognized the beautiful woman with her mother. Lady Ursa, Princess of the Fire Nation. Wife of Prince Ozai, the brother of General Iroh. Elyrie let herself glide out of the chair and bowed to the Princess._

_"Zuko, dear" Ursa said to her eight year old son, "This is Elyrie, the daughter of Thyra."_

_"Lily," Thyra said in her gentle voice, "Please show your respect to Prince Zuko."_

_"Very pleased to meet you, Your Highness" the little girl said with a small curtsy, although she almost lost her balance doing it in the long dress. Zuko chuckled and the girl looked up with a shimmer in her eyes. "Well, you try it in a dress then!" she said with a pout._

_"Lily" Thyra scolded her daughter, although she tried to hide her smile. Lady Ursa did not even attempt to hide her laugh when she heard the little girl._

Zuko smiled at the long forgotten memory. Her voice, musical even at such a young age, had given him the stories and fairy-tales from around the world. He never knew what kind of worlds were hidden within the pages of books, but she had shown it to him.

"There never was a story of a more pure love, than this of Eros and his Psyche." Elyrie finished as she closed the book. "So, she only returned to him when her castle was taken from her?" he asked as he leaned back with a scoff.

"You can't be serious!' she exclaimed as she put her book down, "That is not the message at all!"

"Oh please," Zuko answered as he rolled his eyes, "The girl only fell for him because of his riches."

"I can't believe that is what you took from the story!" she said while she playfully slapped him against his chest, "Unbelievable."

From a distance, Iroh stroked his beard with a loving smile as he watched the bickering pair on the small pier. "Are they fighting?" the young masseur asked the older General when he looked at the pair.

"No, not fighting," Iroh answered. "They don't agree on much. Frankly, they don't agree on anything." Iroh said to the servant next to him, "But there is one thing they share, and that is that they are completely devoted to each other."

He had seen them grow up together. The calm personality of the girl and the hot-headed temper of his nephew couldn't be more different. Yet the funny thing was, they brought out those two traits in each other. She was the only one with whom Zuko acted relaxed. And he was the only one who could tease Elyrie enough to get under her skin and made her lose her patience.

Iroh hated to disturb this peaceful setting, but it was time to go back and have some tea. "Zuko, Elyrie" he shouted, "Time for tea!"

When they entered the cabin, Iroh opened his bag to show them his new treasures. "Look at those magnificent shells" he said with a content smile as he picked up a beautiful shell, "I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come!" Elyrie took it from him and admired the pink colour.

"We don't need any more useless things" Zuko groaned as he watched the ever-expanding assortment of trinkets of his Uncle, "You forget, we have to carry everything ourselves now!" Elyrie chuckled, but was abruptly interrupted.

"Hello brother." a sharp voice said, "Uncle."

* * *

**I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!**

**In the spirit of that, I thought it was time for some long overdue fluff!**


	30. A Family Reunion

A slender figure sat relaxed on the wooden chair. Her long legs were elegantly crossed while she held one of the shells Uncle had found in her hand. She had an oval-shaped face and the classic beautiful features of a Fire Nation royal. Her raven black hair was pulled back into a classic Fire Nation top knot, with the two front locks hanging from the side. In her topknot, the Fire Nation symbol was attached to signal her high status. Her lips were painted in a dark red colour, which complemented the colour of her Fire Nation attire. Her cat-like eyes were a dark shade of amber, not gold like Zuko's. But the family resemblance was unmistakable.

Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation. Firebending prodigy. Ozai's favourite child.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked, his voice getting dangerously low as he spoke to his sister. Elyrie saw that he clenched his hands to fists and that the muscles in his neck tensed, as if he prepared himself for a fight. Next to Zuko, Iroh's kind face darkened at the sight of his niece.

"In my country," Azula said undisturbed as she continued playing with the shell in her hand "We exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions."

She stood up from her seat and walked casually to Zuko. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?" she asked, the tone of her voice innocent as she called Zuko by his childhood nickname.

"Don't call me that!" Zuko yelled at his sister, who stood unaffected with her arms crossed in front of him.

"To what do we owe this honour?" Iroh asked, his tone respectful but Elyrie did not miss the wary undertone in his voice.

"Must be a family trait," Azula said with a sadistic smile on her face, "Both of you so quick to get to the point." Her long nails, filed to sharp points, broke the shell in her hands without effort. As the pieces of shell fell on the floor, Elyrie exchanged looks with Iroh, who had narrowed his eyes at the Fire Nation Princess.

Elyrie had said nothing and watched the encounter. As caring as Zuko was, that is how ruthless his sister could be. From a young age she was a manipulative genius, bending people at her will. So far, she had completely ignored her presence in the cabin. Not that Elyrie minded in the slightest. First of all, she knew it was one of Azula's strategies. And second, she was not sure what the Princess was doing here, but whatever it was: it could never be good.

"I've come with a message from home," Azula continued in an almost bored tone, "Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him."

Elyrie clenched her jaw at Azula's message. She said it casually, as if it was not an enormous load she just landed on her brother.

"He's heard rumours about plans to overthrow him," Azula continued as her amber eyes kept looking at her brother's face, "Treacherous plots." She lowered her voice, as if she tried to let her brother in on this secret. "Family are the only ones you can really trust."

 _Are you sure about that?_ Elyrie thought to herself as she clenched her jaw tighter. She did not trust this charade one bit. A quick glance sideways and she saw that Uncle shared her sentiments.

"Father regrets your banishment," Azula said as she looked away with a look of feigned sadness in her eyes, "He wants you home."

Those words. How long Zuko had waited to hear those words. That his father wanted him home and wanted him to come back to the Fire Nation.

"Did you hear me?" Azula said, her voice sounding far away now to him, "You should be happy, excited, grateful!"

Zuko did not respond. Instead, he turned to the window and watched the setting sun cast a red light on the cherry blossom.

"I just gave you great news." Azula said, her voice now soft and her smile inviting.

"I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment–" Iroh began in an effort to give Zuko more time to let the news sink in, but he was quickly cut off.

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!" Azula sneered at the older man.

 _There it is_ , Elyrie thought as she saw the charade of the Princess slightly falter. Iroh had always been the only one who didn't let himself get manipulated by the young woman. And Azula knew it. Uncle did not get a chance to speak, because that could ruin her plan.

"I still haven't heard my thank you," Azula said as she turned to her brother, "I'm not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

 _Then why did you?_ Both Iroh and Elyrie asked themselves the same question. It wasn't like Azula to do something this caring for her brother.

"Father regrets?" Zuko asked as he continued to look outside, his voice slightly trembling, "He wants me back?" Elyrie felt a sting go through her as she looked at Zuko's helpless face. For a moment, he was a little kid again. The little boy who did everything for his father's approval and attention.

"I can see you need some time to take this in." Azula said gently.

After she had turned around, she fixed her amber eyes on Elyrie's small figure at last. "And here is our lost little friend. You know, you had us worried when you didn't return from the North Pole with your fiancé." The Princess said, her tone sweet and inviting.

"I am touched by your concern," Elyrie replied smoothly as she raised her chin, "But as you can see, I am quite well." Inwardly, she was boiling with anger. _What does she know about the Siege of the North Pole?_ she pondered as she looked into the snake-like eyes of the young woman. _Probably everything there is to know._

The two women kept eye contact, neither one of them breaking the silence. Elyrie knew that remaining silent was Azula's way of making another person uncomfortable. But she didn't give in. She had grown up around this girl and she wasn't afraid of her.

Azula's red lips turned into a line when the silence lasted. The blue eyes of the girl in front of her were confident and unaffected. She simply looked back at the Fire Nation Princess, which angered her in a way.

"I'll call on you tomorrow." Azula finally said as she looked at her brother, who was still staring at the red cherry blossom out of the window, "Good evening."

Elyrie finally exhaled when the Princess left the cabin. The veiled threat was not lost on her: if Azula knew anything about her heritage or what happened to Zhao, she would be in great trouble.

She crossed eyes with Iroh and could almost hear the wheels ticking in his brain as he pondered the same question she was asking herself.

_What does this mean?_

* * *

An hour later, they were not anywhere near the answer. In the meantime, night had fallen outside and Elyrie had lit the small lanterns in the cabin. Uncle had brewed them a fresh pot of tea and poured two cups for himself and Elyrie while Zuko had walked tirelessly around the cabin.

"We're going home!" Zuko exclaimed, looking happier than Elyrie had seen him in a very long time, "After five long years, it's unbelievable!"

Elyrie sat across from Iroh at the wooden table with a steaming cup of tea in front on her, but Uncle had not even touched his drink. With her hands clasped around the cup, Elyrie said nothing as she watched Zuko pack his belongings. Silently sipping her tea, she looked at Uncle. Iroh had not shared his nephew's enthusiasm. He sat with his hand on his chin, looking pensively at the rough wood of the table.

"It is unbelievable," Iroh finally agreed with Zuko, "I've never known my brother to regret anything."

"Did you listen to Azula?" Zuko asked as he turned to his Uncle with a frown, "Father realized how important family is. He cares about me."

" _I_ care about you," Iroh retorted, his voice louder than normal as he rose from his seat, "And if Ozai wants you back, it may not be for the reasons you imagine."

Elyrie did not miss his choice of words. He referred to his brother as Ozai, not 'your father'. Now that she thought about it, he almost never had referred to the Fire Lord as Zuko's 'father'.

"You don't know how my father feels about me," Zuko said angrily as he turned his back to his Uncle, "You don't now anything!"

Elyrie tightened her grip. Zuko was being unreasonable now, but she understood why. She did not agree, but she understood. His home, the Fire Nation, his honour; all the things he had dreamed of these past five years were suddenly given to him on a silver platter.

It was too good to be true. It had to be.

She knew that, but he didn't.

"Zuko," Iroh said soothingly, "I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem."

"I think you are exactly what you seem," Zuko said furiously as he turned around to look at his Uncle, "A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother!"

"That's it." Elyrie finally said as she slammed her cup on the wooden table. The hot tea spilled over the edges, but she did not pay attention to it. Both men looked surprised at her uncharacteristic outburst. She pushed her chair back, grabbed Zuko's sleeve and pulled him with her. "Outside, now."

Taken aback by her reaction, Zuko followed without protest. Elyrie had remained silent the entire evening, so he had assumed she agreed with him.

"How dare you speak to your Uncle that way?" she said in an icy voice as she let go of his sleeve. They were standing in the dark, the moonlight lighting the cherry blossom above them. Elyrie's blue eyes caught light of the moon and her pretty features were twisted in anger.

"You of all people should agree with me." Zuko said impatiently, "You told me how much you missed home. Why aren't you more supportive? Azula told me-,"

"Zuko, do you hear yourself?" she interrupted in a clear voice, "Why do you trust Azula more than Uncle? Only because she tells you what you want to hear?"

"As if you would understand." Zuko growled at her as he turned his back to her. He did not need another lecture now.

"Don't act like I am a fool, I am not." she retorted, her tone like a poisonous sting. He turned around to look her in the eye, but she was not fazed. "Why are you angry at him? Uncle always has your best interests at heart."

"I am not angry!" he yelled at her as his nostrils flared and sparks came out of his mouth.

"So you are yelling out of pure happiness?" she said with a raised eyebrow as she crossed her arms. He gritted his teeth at her response _. Damn this woman_ , he mentally cursed. He had a temper, but she never seemed to be fazed. Always calm, always collected.

"Just leave me alone." he sneered at her, out of arguments. He turned his back to her again and crossed his arms.

He waited for a response, but nothing came. That was not like Elyrie, so Zuko turned around to see where she was. He saw her retreating figure walking back to her own cabin.

"I know this is how you want things to be, but remember one thing." Elyrie said as she stopped and turned around. She looked him straight in his golden eyes.

"Azula always lies."

* * *

The following morning, Zuko was pacing up and down the cabin. All his belongings were collected by the guards, who had taken it to the ship that was waiting in the harbour at the foot of the mountain.

His steps sounded loud in the quiet cabin. He was all alone. Uncle had taken his belongings and moved to Elyrie's cabin when Zuko had told him off last evening. He had seen neither his Uncle or Elyrie after yesterday evening.

He was angry with them, but he couldn't imagine they would let him leave without saying goodbye. He had expected to see them at breakfast, but neither had shown up.

After a few more minutes of pacing, he furiously grabbed his last bag and swung it over his shoulder. "Fine then," he mumbled, "See if I care."

The harbour of the resort was situated at the foot of the mountain. To get there, you needed to climb down the stone staircase, which would take roughly 10 minutes. As Zuko was making his way to the stone staircase, he saw the ship docked at the harbour.

 _I am really going home,_ he thought to himself as he saw Azula's flagship. After five years, he finally was going home. He felt happy, but he couldn't shake the feeling of regret. These five years, Uncle had been his constant companion and now he was leaving without even saying goodbye to him. As for Elyrie, it pained him to miss her so soon after being reunited again.

"Wait!" he heard a voice behind him. Zuko turned around and saw his Uncle running down, holding his hand up to motion him to stop. "Don't leave without me!"

"Uncle!" Zuko said, his face immediately lighting up, "You've changed your mind!" Behind Uncle, he saw another figure making her way down to stairs. He felt himself smiling even brighter when he saw the sun catching the red in the auburn hair. Elyrie was coming down the stairs as well.

His Uncle gave him a warm smile as he placed his hand on the shoulder of his nephew. "Family sticks together, right?" Iroh said, touched by the happiness he saw on his nephews face.

"We're finally going home!" Zuko said contently as he looked down at Azula's ship.

"And you?" Zuko asked, his look hopeful when Elyrie reached them. She had her bag strapped to her back and wore loose pants and a tunic with flat shoes. Her long hair was tied with a ribbon in a ponytail, with a few the stubborn strands at the side of her face. She looked ready for travel.

"I am coming to see you off," she answered with a smile, "I want to visit Kun and Jin before I return to the Fire Nation Capital, but I'll visit you in the Palace as soon as I return."

That was enough for him for now. He was going home with Uncle and Lily would follow in no time at all.

"Let's go!" Zuko exclaimed as he took Elyrie's hand and pulled her with him. Elyrie laughed at his enthusiasm and tried to keep up with his quick pace.

Iroh, on the other hand, waited for a moment and shot a suspicious look at the ship down the foot of the mountain. He and Elyrie had discussed the situation at length last night. She agreed with him that Azula and Ozai could have an ulterior motive for summoning Zuko home, but neither of them could explain what it could be. After sleeping on it for the night, they agreed that it was best that Iroh accompanied Zuko in case something would go wrong. Elyrie didn't need to come along, since she had already planned to visit her friends to make sure they were alright. Especially Jin, because she felt responsible for what happened to her.

They had agreed, however, that they would keep an eye out for any oddities this morning. When either of them had the slightest suspicion Azula was up to something, they would take action. "Azula always has hidden motives" Elyrie had said pensively that morning. Iroh had agreed with her, which is why they needed to keep up their guard at all times.

When they reached the walkway, the trio was greeted by at least a dozen guards of the Royal Procession. Elyrie bit her lip at the welcoming committee. She recognized their armour without effort, since she had grown up around them. Their helmets had three-point theme: three spikes a on top of the helmet, three eye holes and the shard-shaped mouth holes. Their colours were mainly gold and red, which easily distinguished this group of elite firebenders who served as personal guards to the Fire Nation Royal Family. Carefully selected and trained, they were among the best firebenders in the world.

As she walked past them, she counted them in her head. Iroh, who was walking beside her, eyed them with suspicion as well. In all his life, he had never seen this many guards for the transport of a single member of the Royal Family. Even Ozai himself was never accompanied by more than four guards.

Elyrie discreetly placed her small hand on his arm and he immediately patted it. They watched Zuko practically ran to the end of the walkway to get up the ramp. Then, Elyrie held up two slender fingers and after a few seconds made it four. She had counted twenty-four guards. Iroh nodded and formed a 'three' with his fingers as he motioned with his head to the ramp.

Azula was standing at the top of the ramp, flanked by two guards. The captain stood at the foot of the ramp as he welcomed his royal guests. Iroh let go of her arm as he walked to his nephew's side. Elyrie remained a few feet behind them.

The twenty-four guards behind Elyrie closed their ranks, forming a row behind her. The uneasy feeling crept up her spine as she bowed before Azula. _Twenty-four guards behind me, two next to Azula and a captain on the ramp_ , she counted while scanning the surroundings.

"Brother, Uncle" Azula said while raising her hands, "Welcome!" Her red lips formed a irresistible smile, as if she was truly happy to see her family again. "I am so glad you decided to come."

"Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?" The captain asked as he walked up the ramp. "Set our course for home, captain." Azula said sweetly as she tilted her head to the side.

"Home" Elyrie heard Zuko say wistfully. _Please, let this not be a trap_ , she thought as she ignored the nagging feeling in her stomach. _Let him be happy, he deserves it._

"You heard the Princess," The captain commanded as he motioned to the guards, "Raise the anchors. We are taking the prisoners home."

Everything seemed to stop for a moment.

Azula's face darkened.

Zuko's eyes widened.

The captain swallowed nervously.

Elyrie's breath hitched.

And then, Iroh turned around to kick the guard nearest to him in the water with one smooth motion.

With that move, everything was set into motion again. Elyrie ducked as she felt the heat of a fireblast coming from behind her. She spun in the air and with a fiery kick blasted the guard into the water.

Zuko stormed on the ramp and pushed the captain out of his way without effort. "You lied to me!" he cried furiously at his sister.

Azula simply raised her eyebrows and turned around with a passive hand gesture. "Like I've never done that before."

The two guards at her side shot fireblasts to Zuko. With a cry, Zuko crossed his arms and spread out the flames to deflect the attack. He leapt onto the ship and kicked off the two guards with fireblasts of his own.

On the walkway, Elyrie and Iroh were busy getting rid of the guards. Elyrie's main advantage was her speed and flexibility. The heavy armours of the guards slowed them down, so she used precise attacks and quick moves to knock them into the sea. She propelled herself and flipped backwards when four guards stormed to capture her. Landing behind them, one powerful blast was enough to simultaneously knock them down.

Her hands on her knees, she panted with a grin as she watched Uncle fight the remaining guards. The Dragon of the West hadn't earned his fearsome reputation for nothing: he fought like one-man army. Not for the first time, Elyrie was glad they fought on the same side when she saw guard after guard flying and landing in the water. In the time she had knocked out five guards, Iroh had taken care of at least twelve.

Propelling herself over the guards, Elyrie landed by Iroh's side. Deflecting a fireblast, Elyrie formed a circle of fire around herself and shot small blasts to every guard that approached her.

Iroh pushed away several guards before he took one in a wrestling hold. "Zuko!" he yelled over the commotion, "Let's go!"

Zuko didn't appear, which made Elyrie fear the worst. "Get him!" Iroh yelled at her, "We need to get out of here!" It was no longer the tea loving Uncle who spoke. This was the powerful Dragon of the West, the General who broke through the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. All she could do was obey.

Using firedaggers, Zuko charged at Azula with a blazing fury on the deck of the ship. But Azula dodged all the attacks. Not even using her bending to defend herself, she simply spun around and blocked his attacks with effortless ease.

The smirk never left her red lips. "You know," she began in a taunting tone, "Father blames Uncle for the loss of the North Pole." Her smirk widened as pushed her brother away with a simple move. "And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar!"

Zuko was out of breath as he listened to the cutting words of his sister. It had all been a lie. She had done it again.

"Why would he want _you_ home, except to lock up where you can no longer embarrass him?" she added with a sadistic smile.

Conjuring his daggers again, Zuko leaped into the air in his anger and humiliation. This was just what Azula wanted. As he attacked her in blind rage, she pushed him back and scraped his forehead with her sharp fingernails.

"Zuko!" he heard Elyrie's voice call him. In the corner of his eye, Zuko saw her running towards them. Azula saw it as well and aimed a blue blast of fire to the girl.

Deflecting them with a circular motion, Elyrie shot back the flames in Azula's direction. Copying the move she watched Katara perfect at the North Pole, she conjured up her own circle of flames to surround her. She waited as she saw Zuko retake his stance.

"As for your little halfblood friend" Azula added with a cruel smile, "Let's just say that father doesn't take treason lightly."

Elyrie felt her stomach drop. _She knew._ Of course she knew, Azula was always three steps ahead of everyone.

With a quick blast of blue flames, Azula knocked over Zuko. With a groan, he landed on the steel flour of the ship. Preparing for a second attack, Azula pointed her two fingers at her brother.

Elyrie quickly blocked Azula's attack as she jumped in front of Zuko. The flames still circling her, she attacked by sending small and precise blasts of fire in the direction of the Princess. All the black-haired girl could do, was evade the firebullets. One managed to graze her sleeve and set the expensive silk on fire.

"You filthy,-" Azula cursed as she started the familiar circular motion with her arms. _Lightning_.

Elyrie inhaled, but was lost on what she could do to stop her lighting. _Aim at the legs,_ she remembered, _Break the root._

But before she could do anything or Azula could release her lightning, another hand grabbed the wrist of the Princess.

Uncle pointed his fingers to the nearby cliffs, redirecting the lightning bolt away from them. Then, he forced Azula to bend backwards and kicked her smoothly off the side of the ship. With a loud splash, the Princess landed in the water.

"Ha!" Elyrie said, unable to hide her surprise and delight. Quickly grabbing Zuko by his arm, Iroh helped him back on his feet.

"Let's go!" Iroh yelled as he pushed them both in the direction of the ramp.

Running as fast as they could, they made their way into the forest and followed the river. Feeling the adrenaline rush throughout her body, Elyrie ran faster than she had ever done before.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Elyrie tripped on a rock and fell down on the ground. Panting uncontrollably, she tried to steady her breathing and get back up. But she was exhausted. "I can't go any further" she coughed.

Zuko and Iroh saw her fall and stopped immediately. They too fell down on their knees, panting and coughing. "I think we are safe here" Iroh said out of breath.

Elyrie didn't even react, but laid on her back as she felt her chest heaving up and down as her lungs screamed for air. She couldn't speak and only coughed a couple of times. Then, she pushed herself up to drink from the fresh water of the river. Cupping her hands and lifting the water to her lips, she drank eagerly. Her dry throat thanked her when the cool water made her finally calm down.

She leaned back and looked at the two men, who followed her example and quenched their thirst.

"Now what?" she asked finally after a couple of minutes after they had all calmed down.

"Returning to the Fire Nation is not an option," Iroh answered as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"So we need to go into the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked indignantly, "To do what?"

"Live as fugitives, I guess?" Elyrie answered while looking at their meagre belongings. She was surprised to see that her bag had survived the whole ordeal on the ship. "Do we have other options?"

"We could go to the Water Tribe?" Zuko suggested, "Would they cast us out if you plead on our behalf?"

"I can't go back!" she replied with a shriek, "Azula knows I'm part Water Tribe and what do you think she would do if she finds out we hide from her there? Zhao's Armada is nothing compared to her wrath." Her blue eyes shot fire. "I'll die before I let that happen."

 _I promised to take care of the Water Tribe_ , she reminded herself. And she would keep her promise to Yue, which for now meant that she had to stay away _Well done, Lily_ she groaned inwardly, _You were so eager to leave and now you got your wish._

Zuko said nothing, but reached for the sharp knife in his waistband and cut of his ponytail at the base. Without saying a word, Zuko handed Iroh the knife as well. Iroh cut off his topknot in a smooth motion. Elyrie swallowed her emotions when she saw the two men do this with an impassive look on their face. Cutting off their hair signalled cutting their roots with the Fire Nation.

Elyrie extended her hand to take the knife from Uncle before Zuko grabbed her wrist. "What are you doing?" he asked with a puzzled look. "Cutting my hair" she simply responded.

Zuko looked at her in disbelief. She had always been so proud of her auburn curls. They were hanging past her waist and she always had lovingly nourished it.

"But, you can't-" he started, tripping over his words, "Your hair can be worn down. You do it most of the time!" For some reason, it was harder to accept that she was cutting her hair too.

"Zuko, my hair is long, curly and reddish brown." Elyrie said as she gently pulled back her hand, "It is a dead giveaway."

"But-," Zuko tried again. _Her beautiful curls. The crown on her beauty._

"There will be wanted posters of us and it is my most distinctive feature. I have to get rid of it." She interrupted without hesitation as she brought the knife to her hair. "Besides, it will be good for my vanity." she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

With a few slashing motions, she had cut her hair just above the ribbon which had held together the ponytail. It was hanging just above her shoulders now and she gathered it to make a small bun in her neck. "There, better."

But when she saw her long ringlets laying on the ground, she felt a sting of regret. Her mother had always loved her hair. But she shook her head and with a determined motion, she tossed the remainder of her ponytail in the water.

_There is no going back now._

* * *

**Happy 2021 everyone! :)**


	31. Planning and Adjusting

"Out of the question!"

Elyrie arched one eyebrow and crossed her arms while she glared at Zuko. He, in turn, looked at her as if she had completely lost her senses.

The two firebenders sat crossed-legged on the hard ground of a clearing in the forest. The sun was just over its highest point, which meant it was somewhere in the middle of the day. On their flight, they had ran in the direction of the Earth Kingdom and away from the colonies and the Fire Nation surveillance. They were still in the colonies, but it was a good start.

Iroh had estimated that it was only a day's journey to the nearest Earth Kingdom village. The older General had been occupying himself with mapping out their location. Elyrie had brought maps of the colonies to find her way around. She was glad she had packed them in her travel bag, because they were invaluable now. With a little bit of luck, they would make it out the forest without any further complications.

That is, if Azula would not immediately pursue them. And somehow, she doubted that Azula was reckless enough to blindly pursue three people with an entire army. No, if she wanted to capture them she was working on something far more cunning. Something that would certainly work. Elyrie shuddered at the idea, but was also pragmatic enough to see that if she wanted to arrange something, the time had to be now.

"I don't see why not?' Elyrie shot back, "I doubt that Azula has already spread the wanted posters."

She put down one of her dresses, which she was inspecting for her selection. Since they had to carry everything themselves, they had to get rid of unnecessary luggage. Zuko and Uncle had left their luggage when they had to flee. Her bag had been strapped to her, so she hadn't thought about it. In her bag were mostly clothing and maps, not sufficient for a long journey on foot. As for money, she cursed her stupidity to leave her purse in her cabin to pick up later. She had convinced Uncle to let her pay for the resort after they had set sail, but now she wished she had packed it with her.

 _Oh well,_ she mentally sighed, _No use to dwell on that now._ The next best option was to trade and sell some things for a little bit of money. Elyrie planned to bring her dresses to a tailor to trade them for more practical clothing for Uncle and Zuko. Her clothing was mostly blue and white now, so it would not attract too much attention in the Earth Kingom. Zuko and Iroh, on the other hand, still wore the red colours of the Fire Nation. That was one of the first things they needed to take care of.

"Besides," she said while folding the last dress, "I blend in here quite well."

Zuko gritted his teeth at her, but he couldn't deny that she was right. With her auburn hair and light skin, she could blend in well with the people here. More often than not, the citizens were of mixed heritage themselves. And more importantly, she spoke the native language of the Earth Kingdom which was predominant in the colonies.

But he was not comfortable about the idea to let her walk in a town alone, only to send a hawk to the North Pole. Elyrie was determined to first send a hawk to the North Pole with a message what had happened to her. She was adamant about this: first the message, then she would accompany them further.

This, of course, caused a few words between the two of them. Zuko was not about to let her walk into town with her face plastered on every poster. And Elyrie was not about to let him tell her what she couldn't do. So they argued the opposite points for more than fifteen minutes.

"Just stop asking, " Zuko said decisively, "I don't think it is a good idea."

 _You also thought it was a good idea to trust Azula and go on the ship_ , Elyrie thought but immediately she reprimanded herself. That was below the belt and she knew it. So, she pressed her lips together in annoyance and swallowed her reply.

But it did not change the fact that she hated to be told what to do. She knew he was only worried about her, but it irritated her nonetheless. And she wanted now against all costs inform her family to prevent them from worrying about her. She would explain that there had been unforeseen circumstances and that she needed to stay longer, but that she was safe. No more information needed, but just enough not to make them worry. That surely wasn't too much to ask?

Elyrie sighed and placed the last dress on the pile of clothing. They were all just a little worked up after the whole ordeal that morning. _One of these days, I am going to pray for a calm and quiet life_ , she thought to herself. Because for the second time in a very, _very_ , short time her life had changed in less than a day.

"I am not asking for permis-," Elyrie began again, turning her head to look at Zuko but she was interrupted in the middle of the sentence. But not by Zuko, as she expected.

"And what if I arrange it?" Iroh chimed in. Despite his focus on the safest routes, he had heard the entire conversation. Or discussion, which might be a better word.

"You, Uncle?" Zuko said surprised with a raised brow, "What are you going to do?"

"Well," the old man said as he stood up and picked up the folded dresses, "I could trade these in the nearby village and send word to the North Pole. I am sure that would not be impossible."

"But,-" Elyrie said before she thought about the idea. If anyone wasn't suspicious, it was a kind old man who knew his way around. He could manage the two tasks with ease. She glanced at Zuko and saw that even he had nothing to object to the plan of his Uncle.

"That would be very kind of you." she said as she openend a sack for him, "Thank you."

"No problem at all," Iroh answered as he put the dresses in a knapsack, "But you two prepare yourself for our departure."

Both nodded dutifully, almost as if they were schoolchildren who gotten orders from a teacher. Iroh grinned at their nodding heads and lifted his finger to strengthen his point. "We'll leave as soon as I return," he said he as he swung the sack over his shoulder. "I'll be back in an hour."

Then, he walked away whistling a love song.

Elyrie waved at the older man as he walked away. For some reason, it almost seemed like he enjoyed the change of scenery. Then again, Uncle always had an _joie de_ vivre-attitude about everything.

She smiled and extended her hand to pick up the maps Uncle had been studying. Placing them in her lap, she leaned forward to map out their location and how their journey to the Earth Kingdom would be.

"What are we going to do in the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked as he moved himself closer to her so he could look over her shoulder to the map.

"Find a way to avoid Azula and provide for ourselves?" she answered as she raised her shoulders, "I have honestly no idea."

Zuko let out an irritated sigh. Not at her answer necessarily, but more at the whole situation he had found himself in. This morning, he had woken up with the idea he would soon be back at the Royal Palace. He would see his father again and be the son he always dreamed of having. His old life, the life he had lived before he was banished.

This was even worse: when he was banished, he at least had a goal. If he captured the Avatar, he could return home with honour. And to that goal, he had desperately clung these past five years. But now, he had no prospects and no plans. The idea he had to travel every day for the rest of his life just to evade capture by Azula was intolerable.

Elyrie lifted her hands to pull her loose locks to the back and she tied up half of her hair so it would be out of her face when she studied the map. But again, she was surprised when her curls fell over her shoulders. It was not the first time she forgot she had cut her hair. Just a moment ago, she let her hand go through the length of her hair, only to find out that it stopped abruptly. She had to get used to the shorter hair.

Unbeknownst to her, Zuko was just thinking the same thing. Leaning back and trying to clear his mind from his troubling thoughts, he studied her. She had been right: her long hair was so distinctive for her, he couldn't imagine her without it. Without the curtain of long curls covering her back, she almost seemed like a different person.

He had to do a couple takes whenever he saw her in the corner of his eye, yet the short hair suited her very well. It made her look younger, more carefree. She looked no longer like an elegant noblewoman, but more like pretty girl with her curls springing around her heart-shaped face. Her hands and movements on the other hand were still elegant and refined, the epitome of grace. He might have scowled at her, but she truly had the poise and grace befitting a princess.

"Zuko?" he heard her ask as she looked at him with questionable eyes, "Are you even listening to me?"

"I'm sorry?" Zuko said as cleared his throat, hoping he had not stared at her.

"I said, is there anything else we need to remember before we start our journey?" she repeated slowly, but with an amused twitch of her lips.

"No, I don't think so," Zuko replied as he sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"What were you thinking about? You looked so far away?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side to look at his face.

"Nothing" he replied quickly and he cursed how his voice betrayed him went it came out with a shriek.

"I see," she answered neutral, but with a shimmer in her eyes. This was usually the moment to tease him relentlessly about his stumbling's, but now was not the time.

Still, old habits die hard.

Chuckling to herself, she thought about all the ways she could taunt him. The squeaky sound that came out of his mouth sounded just like his voice when he was ten years old. And his defence was just as good as when he was ten years old. She grinned wickedly, remembering how she loved it to outwit him at every opportunity as children.

It turned out, she didn't even need to say anything out loud because Zuko's scowled expression was the same.

Zuko saw her lips curling and her eyes glittering and he was immediately offended, just because he knew that she was thinking about all the things she could say to tease him.

"Stop it," he said in a low voice as he watched the amusement dance in her eyes. Apparently, she was thinking about something funny and he didn't doubt that it was about him.

"I didn't say anything" she countered trying to hold back the laughter she felt pricking in the back of her throat.

"And I am sure you are not thinking about vexing me?" he answered coolly as he arched an eyebrow.

"No." she answered, her tone sarcastic and she drew out the 'o' sound for at least five seconds. He scoffed at her, but she simply shrugged and focused her attention again on the maps in front of her.

Zuko wanted to be mad at her for laughing. How could she be so cheerful now? He wanted to be angry and frustrated because of what happened earlier that day. He wanted to lash out to her because of her calm reaction to all of this.

But he knew it would be useless. First of all, it wasn't her fault. Neither was it Uncle's. If anyone was to blame for this outcome, it had to be him for believing Azula.

_Azula always lies_

He had muttered that sentence over and over again when he was younger. Whenever Azula taunted and bullied him. Whenever she manipulated him and made him look like an utter fool.

It was frustrating to realise how gullible he was. Elyrie and Uncle, on the other hand, had not been not fooled by her ruse. Now that he thought about it, even when they were children, Elyrie had kept her distance from his sister.

She used to get along fine with both Mai and Ty Lee, but she was always hesitant around Azula. Was it because she was afraid of her? He could easily believe that, since Azula was able to make any grown man shudder in fear. Elyrie had reacted almost frantically on his suggestion to hide at the Northern Water Tribe because she was afraid of what Azula would do to it.

Zuko glanced sideways and saw her tucking the loose strands behind her ear over and over again. After a few tries, she swung her hair to the side and tied it together with the ribbon in a low ponytail. Her blue eyes kept studying the map and when her hands were free again, she let her indexfinger trail the routes.

For some reason, he couldn't believe that she was actually afraid of Azula. If she had been, she would not have sat here so relaxed. More importantly, she would not have wanted to march right into the nearest village to send word to her family.

Her intelligent blue eyes never left the pages, but he gazed at her nonetheless. She didn't look afraid, not really. She was cautious around Azula, that was a better description. Even as a child, she had simply been cautious. He, on the other hand, tried to best his sister at every opportunity. Usually with terrible results for him.

Zuko was brought out of his musings by the sound of cracking tree branches. Jumping up, he took a fighting stance as his eyes scanned the surroundings. He half expected a wave of blue flames to engulf them right then and there.

Elyrie reacted slower and remained sitting on the ground. She turned her head to identify the cause of the sound. In the corner of her eye, she saw Zuko's muscles tense.

"Hold your fire!" a familiar voice sounded from the bushes, "I come in peace." Zuko and Elyrie relaxed immediately at the sound of Uncle's voice.

A moment later, Iroh's smiling face appeared amidst the green leaves of the bushes and trees. His red clothing was already switched to the light green pants and tunic. Without his topknot, he looked just like any other man in the Earth Kingdom.

"Uncle, you look amazing!" Elyrie exclaimed as finally jumped up. _She needs to have her priorities sorted_ , Zuko thought dryly as he watched her walk towards his Uncle. She didn't move when they were possibly endangered but she jumped to her feet to offer someone a compliment. Nevertheless, Zuko had to admit that his Uncle looked just like any other fugitive in the green colours.

"I brought some for you as well," Iroh said as he reached in his bag and gave Elyrie two pieces of green-coloured farbric, "Because the seamstress was more than willing to help me." He wiggled his eyebrows at them.

Elyrie let out a giggle, but Zuko groaned. His Uncle could be a smooth-talker whenever he wished and for some reason, it made him feel awkward just _thinking_ about it.

"Just give me my clothes." Zuko murmured as he grabbed his clothes from his Uncle's outstretched hand and disappeared behind the trees to change.

Iroh rolled his eyes at his nephew and turned back to Elyrie, who was examining her clothing. "I have send word to the North Pole about your situation," he said, "It will reach it soon enough."

"Thank you." she said with a smile that softened his heart. Her blue eyes looked relieved as she added "I hope it was not too much trouble?"

He pinched her cheek lightly in a fatherly manner. "Don't worry about that, my dear," he said reassuringly, "I have my ways."

He sounded secretive but just as she was about to ask what he meant by that, Zuko appeared again in his other clothes. His attire was similar to his Uncle's: a tunic and loose pants in the same olive-green.

Iroh nodded approvingly at his nephew. If he let his black hair grow out, which was already happening before they left, he would blend in quite well. The only thing that they couldn't hide was his distinctive scar. But they could count on the discretion of people not to ask invasive questions about this. Even his crew had not asked anything and just assumed it was a training accident.

And even if they were curious, no one would associate the scar with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. They had the secrecy of the Royal Family to thank for that: few knew about Zuko's 'accident' before his banishment. It would do the divine idea of the Fire Lord no good if it was widely known he had publicly burned and scarred his own son, the heir to the throne.

Lasty, if someone was to ask about it he could simply respond that it was because of a firebender. No one would hold that against him. Unfortunatly, it was also not uncommon around these parts.

Elyrie changed her outfit just as quickly as the two men. Her tunic was a little bit too big, but at least the pants were the right size. She had never worn green before but it complemented the auburn shade of her hair, Uncle noticed as the girl turned around to let them judge her.

"Perfect!" Uncle exclaimed as the trio packed their other pair of clothing in the bags, "Just one more thing."

"Where did you get the hat?" Zuko asked as his Uncle handed him a straw hat to place over his head until his hair was a little bit longer.

"The seamstress was kind enough to give them to me!" Uncle said with a mischivious smile. The other one was smaller and green like the rest of the clothing. It was a flat cap, usually worn by older men or young boys.

"Can I have it?" Elyrie suddenly asked as she picked up the cap and turned it around in her hand.

"You?" the two man asked in unison. Uncle had planned to wear it himself, like older citizens used to do.

"Well," she answered while placing the cap on her head, "I was thinking about how we would be described as fugitives. You can be certain that it will be 'two men and a woman'."

"So," she continued as she pushed her short hair under the cap, "With this I could pass for a young boy?"

"Uhm," Zuko said as he rubbed his neck, "I don't think this is going to work"

He looked at her, but even with her hair under the cap she didn't look the slightest like a boy. Her long eyelashes, large blue eyes and soft cheeks were as feminine as could be.

"It is not necessary to look exactly like a man" she answered, "But just at the first glance?"

 _Clever girl_ , Iroh thought as he saw her tuck the last strands of her beneath the cap. The loose clothing hid most of the curves of her body, so with a quick glance you would think she was a boy of no older than 12 or 13 years old.

"I think this might work" Iroh said as he motioned to the path further in to the forest, "But now we really ought to keep going if we want to reach the Earth Kingdom before sundown."

* * *

When the sun finally started to set hours later, they had almost managed to reach the edge of the forest. They had taken care of almost everything, but one unanticipated problem surfaced: Elyrie couldn't walk.

Zuko and Iroh kept the shoes of their Fire Nation armours, which were designed for support and comfort. She, on the other hand, only brought slippers with her which were not made for long walks. The flats she wore were almost worn off by the end of the afternoon.

The blisters and blood in her shoes were impossible to miss, but she gritted her teeth and stubbornly kept on walking. She ignored the pain as much as she could, but she started limping after barely an hour of walking. She refused to complain, but it was obvious that at the end of the day she was getting behind on the two men.

"Lily, are you sure you are alright?" Zuko asked for the tenth time that hour, "You can lean on me if you want?" Iroh turned around as well and saw that the girl was more than ten metres behind Zuko and him.

"If I need help, I ask for it." Elyrie answered between her teeth. Not out of frustration, but to numb the pain as much as she could. She was considering throwing away her shoes altogether, but it seemed useless at this point. Her feet were already painful enough as they were, with or without the shoes. Besides, she felt nothing for adding cuts and splinters to her list of injuries.

 _Stubborn girl_ , Zuko thought as he saw her limping towards them. He exchanged glances with his Uncle, who nodded to him. With a sigh, Zuko finally did what he planned to do for at least two hours now.

Before she could protest, he put his arms around her waist and lifted her from the ground, placing his other arm under her knees to steady her.

"Put me down!" she yelled as she stretched body to make him put her down, "I can walk by myself."

"No." he simply responded as he continued walking, although it was hard to hold her if she kept kicking and moving. _She is much more manageable when she is unconscious,_ he thought wickedly as he remembered the last time he had to carry her in his arms.

"Lily," he said as if he were talking to a little girl, "I am not putting you down."

"Put me down!" she yelled again while placing her hands on his chest to push herself away. With a sigh, Zuko stopped and placed her on a large stone on the side of the way so she could at least sit down. She did not get up and rubbed her feet, but still avoided his look.

Zuko placed his hands on his hips. "Look at you," he said while pointing at her feet, "Your feet are blistered and you can barely stand." Elyrie didn't answer but looked away with a pouted lip and crossed her arms, like she did when she was small.

Zuko shook his head. "Uncle," he sighed as he turned to the older man, "Some help here?"

"Dear, listen," Iroh said as he sat down next to Elyrie on the stone, "We have a long way to go and I hate to see you in pain. Please listen to my nephew and let him carry you for the remainder of the day?"

"But,-" she began her protest before Uncle lifted his hand to stop her. "It won't be much longer," Iroh promised as he patted her hand, "We'll find shelter soon."

She looked from Uncle to Zuko, both staring at her with their golden eyes. "Fine" she sighed. She knew when she was beaten.

"Would you please help me?" she asked Zuko quietly. Zuko uncrossed his arms and nodded as he turned his back to her and knelt down, so she could climb on his back. She pushed herself off the rock and placed her hands around his neck.

Leaning forward, Zuko placed his hands under her upperlegs and stood up. "Good?" he asked as he slightly lifted her higher so he could carry her.

"Mhm" she mumbled with her chin on his shoulder, "Thank you" she whispered in his ear. Zuko felt a pleasant shiver going through him as he felt her lips so near his skin, but he composed himself.

"I-, ehm, you're welcome." he stammered as he began to walk without looking.

"Zuko?" he heard his Uncle call him. Zuko turned around with Elyrie on his back and looked bewildered at his Uncle. "What?" he asked, impatiently waiting for his Uncle to catch up.

Iroh didn't move, but pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "It is that way." he said amused as he saw his nephew's cheeks turn red.

* * *

**I want to thank everyone for leaving feedback! It truly helps me writing this story, so please keep doing it! :)**


	32. The Cave of Two Lovers

After walking for an hour more, Iroh stopped to look at sky. It had changed from blue to orange and pink shades, which meant dusk was approaching. The sun would disappear soon and it was best if they were able to catch the last hour of sunlight to prepare themselves for the night.

They had reached a open spot in the forest, beneath a mountain that was on Earth Kingdom territory. Iroh cocked his head as he focused on the silence and heard the soft sound of rushing water. There was a river nearby, most likely the So Una river that flowed through the colonies and the Earth Kingdom. They had passed the border, or were at least very close. This was far enough for today, he decided.

"I think it is best if we stay here for the night" Iroh said while he pointed to a cave, hidden behind the bushes at the foot of the mountain. The opening was mostly hidden behind the green leaves, but left just enough room to see the inside of a hollow cave.

Zuko had barely noticed the cave when his Uncle suddenly stopped in his tracks. His attention had been on the girl on his back, who had dozed off with her head lying on his shoulder. He felt her regular breathing close to his ear and he watched her fluttering eyelids longer than was necessary.

When his Uncle came abruptly to a stop, Zuko had practically run into him. His sudden stop nudged Elyrie awake on his shoulder.

"Wha-wha-we attacked?" she mumbled in a sleepy voice as she blinked her eyes to wake herself up. The soothing pace of Zuko's steps and the warmth from his body had made her sleepy. She had dozed off on his shoulder, feeling completely safe.

Iroh let out a deep laugh at her dishevelled look when her big blue eyes looked at him over his nephews shoulder. "No, dear," he said as he motioned to the cave, "We'll stay here for the night."

"Really?" Elyrie asked, much more awake as she stretched her legs in enthusiasm to force Zuko to let go of her. Zuko couldn't hold on to her when she stretched herself out of her comfortable position and she landed on her feet behind him. And she immediately regretted that action.

"Oof." She said as she fell on her behind on the grass with a soft thud. Her feet, though less tired, still hurt like she had sawn-off half of them. "Stupid shoes, stupid feet" she muttered under her breath as she pushed herself up on her arms and stretched her legs.

Zuko turned around and shook his head as he placed one hand on his hip. "Are you alright?" he asked with a grin, actually amused by her antics. It was normally him that made a fool of himself while she floated through everything like a feather. He saw she had not hurt herself badly, which made the situation all the more entertaining.

"Yeah, yeah." Elyrie scowled as she stretched her arms to him, like a child wanting to be picked up by her parents. "I think I am totally depended on you tonight." she said as she batted her eyelashes to him with a cheeky grin. If anyone saw the humour in her helpless situation, it was her. Her pride hurt far less than her feet did now.

Zuko felt a warm feeling spread through his chest at her words, but quickly repressed it and picked her up by placing one arm around her waist and the other under her knees. She put her own arms around his neck to relieve some of the weight.

Iroh, who had been too busy expecting the cave to notice the small stumble, came walking back to the pair. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Zuko holding Elyrie in his arms but said nothing. Instead, he motioned for them to follow him and pushed aside the vines which covered the entrance to the cave. "I'll cook some dinner for us." He said as he placed his bags on the floor and took a small kettle from one of them.

"Ah! Thank goodness!" Elyrie exclaimed, louder than she had intended so Zuko winced and snapped his head to the side at the sudden outburst that hurt his eardrums. "Oops," she said as she saw his pained expression, "Sorry."

"Why do I have the feeling that I am hurt much more in the process than you are?" Zuko mumbled as he evaded her cheeky smile.

"Sorry Zuko," she repeated sincerely as she planted a kiss on his cheek. Even if he wanted to be angry with her, it was impossible after the sweet words she said. Her sweet voice was able to make his knees weak.

Iroh might have missed the entire stumble earlier, but he certainly didn't miss the softening look in the eyes of his nephew. He had been worried about his nephew. The hurt and betrayal of Ozai and Azula could have been enough to break his spirit. He might have been able to ease some of Zuko's pain, but it couldn't be enough to cheer him up. These days almost nothing could have cheered him up.

 _Life is full of surprises,_ he mused as he looked at the two young people in front of him. His nephew had half a smile on his face as he looked at the young woman he was holding in his arms. The young woman smiled enchantingly and kissed his cheek. His nephew's good cheek turned a colour which looked suspiciously like an overripe tomato, but in a good way.

Besides, his nephew looked good in any way. He was not brooding, grumpy or even angry. The entire walk he had been too occupied by her wellbeing to even complain about his own situation. It was a good thing the girl was here with them, Iroh decided as he stroked his beard. He had been worried about her, about how he had pulled her into this mess. But she didn't seem the least bit frightened or angry at him. She had only been concerned about her family, but she accepted the situation graciously.

 _Like a Fire Rose_ , Iroh reminded himself, _bending in the wind._ He knew now it was her Water Tribe heritage that gave her the flexibility and adaptiveness.

After Zuko had carefully placed Elyrie on the hard floor of the cave, she unpacked the luggage while the two men searched for wood and fresh water. She was glad she was able to stay in the cave, because now she could finally kick off her shoes and examine her wounded feet. The blisters looked swollen, but the worst ones had finally stopped bleeding. All she needed to do was bind them for comfort, so she could walk at least by herself again. She ripped two sleeved from an old dress, which could function very well as improvised bandages.

After she was done she studied the small kettle Uncle had brought, no doubt purchased in the village earlier that day. It was a small teapot, but it would function very well as a cooking pot for the time being. When she opened it, she saw that it was filed with something that looked like a stew with vegetables. She felt her stomach immediately starting to rumble and placed her hand on her midriff to silence the sounds.

Zuko came back, his arms full with old branches which he assembled in the middle of the cave. With a swift flick of his wrist, he lit up the fire. A comfortable warmth spread through the small space.

With a smile, Elyrie moved closer to the fire to warm herself.

"Better?" Zuko asked as he sat down next to her. "Absolutely," she smiled back as he cherished the warmth that heated up her skin. The heat made her shiver in a pleasant way, like when you step into a warm bath and completely submerge yourself in the warmth.

She took off the cap to let her hair fall down her face, but she immediately remembered she had cut it. Even worse, it had become tangled under the cap and the small ribbon she used to tie her hair together was stuck in it. Just as she was about to untangle it, Uncle entered with a bowl of fresh water. _It can wait_ , she thought as she place her cap on her head again.

"Where did you get the food?" Zuko asked as he took a cup of fresh water from his Uncle. "From the village." Iroh answered as he filled another cup to give it to Elyrie, "I bought it when I was finished with the clothing."

"Who's hungry?" he then asked as he placed the kettle on the small fire to warm up the food. The delicious smell filled the small cave. Despite everything, Elyrie felt a comforting sensation coming over her. Sure, they were fugitives but at least they had food, warmth and a place to sleep. A lot of people had it worse than they.

After Uncle had given Zuko and Elyrie their portion in their cups, he ate out of the kettle over the fire. It was a simple but good dish. The three of them were starving after a long day, so they ate quicker and made more noises than was socially acceptable. But nobody would hold that against them in a cave on the edge of the Earth Kingdom.

"We need to find a way to get more money soon," Iroh said as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "We have only a few coins left."

"Is it safe for us to enter the villages of the Earth Kingdom?" Elyrie asked as she put down her cup and warmed her hands by the fire.

"It could be, if nobody recognizes us," Iroh said pensively, "And of course, if we don't show our firebending. But that is a problem for tomorrow," he added as he stifled a yawn.

"I think it is best if we put out the fire, so nobody can see us here." Zuko said when he dimmed the fire with a flick of his wrist. Suddenly, it was much darker in the cave with only the last rays of sunshine peaking through the leaves that covered the enterance.

The last pieces of wood were still smoking when Zuko and Elyrie heard Uncle snore deeply and loudly. Elyrie chuckled as she raised her knees against her chest in an effort to warm herself. She'd rather have the fire burning all night to keep her warm. She shivered and with trembling fingers, she tried to loosen the ribbon in her curls.

Zuko saw her struggling with her ribbon next to him. Without saying a word, he turned sideways as he placed his hands over hers and calmly untangled the ribbon.

Elyrie lowered her hands and let him help her. Their hands touched briefly, but long enough for Zuko to notice that her fingers were cold. Colder than normal and the tops were a strange blue colour. He frowned, but said nothing as he carefully removed the ribbon out of her tangled curls.

"Do you want me to untangle your hair?" he asked while rising his body temperature so she would be warm.

"Please" she said with a smile as she leaned her head back. Zuko took his time to make sure he didn't do any damage, since the hairpiece had really created a mess in her curls.

Elyrie felt her eyelids grow heavier every time he stroked her hair. It was such a nice feeling, so comforting.

As soon as her untangled curls fell around her face, she expected him to stop. But he continued combing out her hair with his fingers, softly and delicately. She said nothing as she felt goosebumps go over her skin. It was so simple yet so intimate.

Zuko didn't knew he was going to let his fingers trail through her hair. He didn't anticipate it, but once he started it was impossible to stop. The rosy scent that seemed embedded in her skin was woven through her hair as well. Her hair felt like silk, gliding through his long fingers. For some reason, he suspected it pained him more to see her long, lucious locks gone than it did her. He would never say it out loud, but he had loved her hair. Her beautiful auburn curls, which had made her stand out from the crowd from a young age.

His thoughts wandered off to the time he had recognized her because of her hair. He must have been around sixteen years old and it was at a party in the Royal Palace. The great hall was lit by at least a hundred candles and a small band played a soft melody, filling the room with music. Now that he thought about it, it must have been for his birthday party. Yes, he was certain it had been for his birthday. His mother had insisted on it. She wanted him to have a proper party, so he and Elyrie...

"Thank you." Elyrie's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He blinked and saw that he had stopped combing her hair. Instead, his hands were resting on her shoulders, just an inch from the soft skin of her neck. He felt himself blush as he quickly pulled his hands back.

Elyrie repressed a disappointed sigh as she felt Zuko retract his warm hands. Zuko picked up the blanket and gently placed it over her shoulders. She hadn't noticed she was still shivering, but she was certain it wasn't from the cold anymore.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he saw her hands returning to her normal colour. "I feel fine, really." she reassured him, slightly embarrassed. She had been nothing but a liability today.

"Try to sleep," Zuko said as he moved to stand up, but as soon as he left her side, Elyrie felt the chill of the cool night air caressing her skin again. She didn't want him to leave and in a reflex grabbed his hand. "Can you stay here?" she asked, her cheeks turning slightly pink but not letting go of his hand, "You are so warm."

Zuko felt his heart skip a beat when she grabbed his hand, her fingers still cold. She had to be the only firebender that had trouble warming herself. He knew she Uncle taught her the firebending technique, but she still had to master it. For him, it was habit by now. He sat back down with his back against the cave.

Without hesitation, Elyrie let herself fall in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder and she nestled against him with the blanket covering her. The warmth he was radiating was so comforting that she had the feeling that she could sit like this forever. Involuntarily, she thought about how right this felt. Through his tunic, she could fell his heart beating and his familiar scent of sandalwood tickled her nose. She shivered again in delight.

Zuko tucked the blanket tighter around her when he felt her shiver. "Thank you" he heard her whisper against his chest. "Try to sleep" he said gently as he listened to her soft breathing. Once again, he caressed her hair to soothe her.

Zuko didn't know how long they sat like that but he knew that she was about to fall asleep against him for the second time that day. He smiled involuntarily at the absurdness of this whole situation, but he would be lying to himself if he said he didn't find it comforting to help her. It felt nice to have her depend on him for a change.

Elyrie stirred slightly, but she didn't say anything. Zuko looked down and saw that she almost seemed to be asleep. A small smile played on his lips as he though about how comfortable she was with him. He was even more surprised how comfortable he was with her. He hated it when people invaded his personal space, but with her he couldn't stand it if she was too far away from him. She was the same, he was certain of it. She'd never let anyone near her if she wasn't completely comfortable. He was thankful that they were such good friends, allthough for some reason the word _friend_ stung a little bit as he let his fingers trail through her hair.

Of course they were friends; they had known each other far too long to be anything less than that. It isn't unusual for men and women to be friends, right? However, Zuko couldn't remember the last time he had felt so comfortable around another woman. And now that he thought about it, he had never seen Elyrie willingly sit in the lap of another man.

Zuko thought about the last time he had seen her near another man, which was when she had still been Zhao's fiancée and she had avoided the Admirals touch at every possible opportunity. Clenching his jaw, Zuko thought about Zhao's behaviour and how he had tried to break her will. But she wasn't broken and Zhao would never try to harm them again.

Zuko had often thought about what could have happened to Zhao after La had pulled him underwater with him. Uncle had told him that he was probably taken to the Spirit World, where a fate worse than death would await him. Despite everything that the Admiral had try to do to him, Zuko wasn't happy about the idea of Zhao suffering for all eternity. Then, he remembered how Zhao had tried to kill the girl that was lying in this arms. He remembered how Zhao had wounded her, locked her up and how her red blood stained the ice of the North Pole.

Inhaling deeply, Zuko tried to get himself to think about other things and put his arms closer around Elyrie. Once again, he noticed how perfectly she seemed to fit in his arms. Placing his hand on her hair, he immediately felt himself calm down.

He leaned back and felt his own eyelids growing heavy after a while. _I need to go to sleep,_ he told himself but for some reason it felt wrong to leave Elyrie alone. _She told me she was cold,_ he reminded himself. He couldn't just let her sleep on the floor so she'd be cold again? No, that wasn't right. Still, he knew he needed to rest as well.

When he was sure she was fast asleep, Zuko carefully lifted her from his shoulder and slowly moved her with him as he laid down on his back on the grond. He placed her head on his chest and put one arm around her. With his other arm he grabbed his own blanket and placed it under his head as a pillow.

Elyrie didn't even move when he finally was comfortable. Stroking away a strand of hair on her forehead, he looked at her sleeping face for a moment. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyelids fluttered. Even when she was asleep, it seemed like a smile was visible on her lips. His thumb gently caressed her jawline as he looked at her full lips.

"Good night, Lily" he whispered softly when he closed his eyes.

* * *

The first rays of sunshine made their way through the roof of leaves which shielded the forest.

"Have you found something?" Elyrie asked as she cocked her head to Uncle. Iroh sat in a squatted position and didn't respond, but was staring in awe at at beautiful white and red flower. She repeated her question, but he still didn't answer. He probably hadn't even heard her.

The ruffling of the bushes drew Elyrie's attention away from Iroh's intense look. Grunting loudly, Zuko struggled out of the leaves.

"I didn't find anything to eat!" Zuko cried out, "I can't live like this. I wasn't meant to be a fugitive, this is impossible!" To strengthen his words, he threw his hands up to the sky.

Elyrie repressed a chuckle at his antics. _A hungry Zuko is often a cranky Zuko_ , she thought with pouted lips. As soon as she said that, she felt her own midriff starting to growl. _And a hungry me is also a cranky me._ She was glad that she had at least slept well, because this morning she had woken up warm and well rested. Zuko must have placed her on the ground during the night, because she had woken up on the floor of the cave. Zuko had, of course, woken up before her to wash himself in the river. But to her surprise, she wasn't the last one to get up because Uncle's snoring had continued for quite some time, even after she had washed herself.

Iroh wasn't disturbed in the slightest by his nephews rant. Instead, he inhaled the sweet scent of the flower in front of him.

Zuko, surprised by the silence, turned to his Uncle with a confused look. He raised one eyebrow at Elyrie, silently asking her what his Uncle was doing. Elyrie simply shrugged to signal she didn't understand it either.

"Uncle," Zuko asked, "What are you doing?"

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush!" Iroh finally said as he gently clasped his hand together in delight, "It's leaves make a tea so delicious it's heart-breaking!"

 _Tea?_ Elyrie mouthed over his head at Zuko with a puzzled look.

"That," Uncle continued as his frown suddenly deepened, "Or it's the white jade bush which is poisonous."

Elyrie stared at the older man. She knew Uncle had an obsession with tea and truth be told, he made the most delicious blends. But to think about tea now? Zuko seemed to share the sentiment, although he said it a bit more gruffly. "We need food, not tea!"

"I am going fishing." He added as he stormed off to the river. Once again, Iroh didn't seem to hear him.

"Hmm" he pondered out loud while continuing to stare at the flower, "Delectable tea or deadly poison?"

The question didn't seem to be directed at anyone in particular, so Elyrie shook her head and let the old man alone with his plant. Still limping a bit, but much better than yesterday, she walked in the direction of the river. She had never seen Zuko fishing, but maybe he learned some skills on his travels. And even if he didn't, it would be quite a show to see him try.

When she arrived at the riverside, she saw that her second guess had been correct. Armed with a long stick, Zuko stood knee-deep in the river. Almost slapping the stick in the water, he attempted to catch something. The water splashed him every time he missed and after a few tries, he was soaked to the bone.

Elyrie coughed to mask her chuckle but Zuko turned around with an irritated look. "What is so funny?" he asked while the water dripped from his face.

"Nothing." Elyrie shrieked, her voice betraying how amused she was. To make the situation even funnier, a large silver fish jumped out of the water in front of Zuko. It was as if he was mocking him, because he jumped out a few more times and splashed more water in Zuko's direction.

Now she was laughing out loud. "I am sorry," she said when Zuko turned around and gave her a look that could scorch her right on the spot. She quickly covered her mouth, but her eyes continued to spark with amusement.

"Can't you search for berries or something?" Zuko growled as he turned his attention back to the water, "Or edible plants?"

"I don't know which plants are edible!" Elyrie responded with raised eyebrows, "What makes you think that?"

"Didn't you study every subject imaginable?" he asked as he frantically poked his stick in the water in the hopes of catching the fish. It wasn't going to work that way, but she didn't dare point it out now.

"Languages, history and politics!" she said as her eyes followed the movements of the stick, "Not biology or farming!"

"And you never thought that might be useful?"

"Then why didn't you study it? I don't see you climbing to the top of the food chain at the moment."Elyrie pointed out as she motioned to his attempts. The fish jumped out another time and she bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing again.

"You try it then!" Zuko said indignantly as he handed her the stick.

Now she was sorry she had laughed at him, because her attempts were even more pathetic than his were. It took a few minutes for her to be soaked as well, although she was much less irritated by it then he was.

After more than an hour, neither of them had managed to catch something fit for three people. Zuko did manage to catch a small fish, but it was barely larger than Elyrie's little finger. The fish was flapping about helplessly at the end of the stick as they walked back. It looked absolutely ridiculous, but Elyrie didn't dare to say that out loud.

When they returned to Uncle, it seemed as if he hadn't moved from the spot where they had left him. He still sat down by the plant, but Elyrie noticed that the flower was missing.

"Remember that plant what I thought might be tea?" Iroh said without turning to them.

"You didn't?" Zuko asked in shock.

"I did." Uncle said as he turned around, "And it wasn't."

Zuko dropped his stick and staggered back. At the same time, Elyrie let out a gasp and she clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

Uncle looked horrible. His face was swollen and his entire skin was covered in a red rash. It appeared to be the itchy kind of rash, because he kept scratching his face as he walked towards them. She saw that his hands were covered in the rash as well, as if someone had spilled red wine all over him and it had left stains.

"How bad is the poison?" Elyrie asked after she had found her voice again. If it was only a rash, that might not be so bad. It might be better than it looked.

"When the rash spreads to my throat," Uncle said, surprisingly calm as he scratched his back with a stick, "I will stop breathing."

"But look what I found!" Iroh added while showing them the stick he used to scratch his back with. It was a branch on which pink coloured berries were growing. "These are Pakui berries! Known to cure the poison of the white jade plant!"

Elyrie felt a wave of relief go through her, but only for a moment. "That or Makaola berries that cause blindness." Iroh continued with a frown as he vigorously scratched his stomach.

"We are not taking any more changes with these plants!" Zuko said as he snatched the branch from his Uncle and hurled it into the bushes.

"We need to get help." Elyrie said as she saw Uncle bending in different positions to scratch his irritated skin. She resisted the urge to scratch her own skin, since she started to feel itchy over her entire body the more she looked at Uncle's rash.

"But where are we going to go?" Iroh said while bending down on one knee to scratch his back and upperleg, "We are enemies of the Earth Kingdom and fugitives from the Fire Nation." He squatted down to scratch both his upperlegs. If he hadn't been in such a grave situation, it might actually be funny to see him bend in such awkward positions.

"If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed." Zuko said while placing his hand under his chin as he thought about the possibilities.

"But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula." Elyrie added while she tapped the side of her chin with her index finger.

All three of them exchanged looks and nodded after a brief pause.

"Earth Kingdom it is."

* * *

**It has been a while since I could use the name of an episode as a title, but funny enough I had written the cave scene before I even realised that it fit very well with the episode title!**


	33. Reopening Wounds

"You three must not be from around here," Song said while wringing the cloth, "We know better than to touch the White Jade." She smiled, but gently slapped away the hand of the old man she was taking care of, since he was about to scratch his rash again. "Much less make it into tea and drink it." she added in a slightly amused tone.

Uncle smiled sheepishly when the healer took his hand to wash it. "Whoops." he said, trying to smile as much as his swollen face would allow him. Song gave him a wink, to signal she was joking.

She turned around to the young man and woman sitting at the table. The man was leaning against the side of the table with his eyes fixed on the floor so the straw-hat was covering most of his face. The young woman looked at her with sharp blue eyes. _Unusual shade_ , Song mused. "So where are you traveling from?"

"Yes," the young man suddenly said as he straightened himself, "We're travellers." Song didn't miss the slight arching of the girl's eyebrows when she heard the man stutter a bit nervously.

"Do you have names?" Song kindly asked while applying more ointment on the skin of the older man.

"Names?" the young man answered, slightly hesitant as if he was not used to people asking his name, "Of course, we have names!"

Song turned around to again slap his hand away when the older man tried to scratch the ointment from his skin. When she did this, she missed the swift kick the young woman gave the man under the table. Her message was clear: _Act normal._

Zuko stifled a cry when he felt Elyrie's foot kick his shin. _I thought her feet hurt_ , he thought as he rubbed his painful leg.

"I'm Lee" Zuko said hesitantly, "And this is my uncle-,ehm, Mushi."

Elyrie bit her lip to stifle her laughter when the swollen face of Iroh, covered in green cream, shot his nephew an indignant look.

As Song continued to put healing cream on him, Iroh smiled sweetly to Zuko as he added "My nephew is named for his father, so we just call him Junior." He leaned over to his side to give him a pleased smile.

Zuko gave Iroh a dangerous look as he let his finger slide in front of his throat. The message was unmistakable: _I am going to kill you._ Elyrie had to place her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

"Mushi and Junior?" Song repeated before she turned to the girl. "And what is your name?" she asked kindly.

Elyrie was wearing her cap, but the brown-eyed girl looked directly at her. She pondered a boy's name, but she felt that it wouldn't suffice. "Li-," She began, picking a common name when she saw Zuko raise his eyebrows at her. She realised Zuko had used something similar as his fake name, so she quickly added "-anna. My name is Lianna."

"I am Song, pleased to meet you all." the brown-eyed girl answered with a kind smile.

Her eye fell on Elyrie's feet. Elyrie followed her gaze and she saw that the improvised bandages were visible over her shoes. With an embarrassed smile, she looked back at the healer.

"Do you want me to take a look at your feet?" Song asked in a concerned voice. Her trained eye immediately noticed that the bandages were not sufficient enough to support her, especially if they travelled by foot.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Elyrie replied gratefully as she kicked off her shoes.

She quickly understood that Song was an exceptional healer, because the paste she spread over her blistered feet made the last pain disappear. Elyrie let out a sigh of relief when Song wrapped new bandages around her feet for comfort and support.

"It is best if you don't walk distances for a while." Song advised when she was done. Elyrie sighed and exchanged looks with Zuko. He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged, as if to say: _We'll figure something out._

"You look like you could use a good meal." Song said as she studied the trio, "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Three empty stomachs reacted at once, but Zuko was the first to turn down the offer. "Sorry, but we need to be moving on."

Elyrie nodded with an apologetic smile to Song. _Zuko is right, we can't stay too long,_ she thought as she tried to ignore the growling sounds of her stomach.

"That is too bad," Song shrugged in a sweet manner, "My mother always makes too much roast duck." She looked away with an innocent smile, as if it truly pained her that nobody could help them out.

And before Elyrie or Zuko could react, Iroh piped in. "Where do you live exactly?"

* * *

"My daughter tells me you're refugees," Song heard her mother say as she put down a platter of roast duck, "We were once refugees ourselves."

Night had fallen and Iroh, Zuko and Elyrie were welcomed in the house of Song and her mother. The table was filled with the most delicious dishes, enough to feed at least ten people.

"When I was a little girl," Song said sadly as she looked at their guests from across the table, "The Fire Nation raided our farming village. That was the last time I saw my father."

The blue eyes from the girl widened when she said that and she looked at her with compassionate eyes, as if she understood the tragedy she had endured. Now that she had taken off her cap, Song noticed that the girl had auburn-coloured hair. Combined with the blue eyes, she didn't resembled the two men in the slightest. But then again, the Earth Kingdom had been flooded with refugees these past decennia from all corners of the world. It wasn't unusual to have different features.

Song looked at Lee across the table. He seemed to be taken aback by her story because he stopped eating. She studied his face without trying to stare at the large scar that covered the left side of his face. It was the kind of scar only a firebender could give you, she knew that from experience.

Despite his facial scarring, he was a remarkable handsome man. He had an ivory skin, golden eyes and classic features. He resembled the older man, his Uncle they had told her. In the corner of her eye, she saw her mother smiling at Mushi, who was obviously enjoying her cooking.

"I haven't seen my father in many years." Lee suddenly said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Oh," Song felt guilty for bringing up such a sensitive subject, "Is he fighting in the war?"

"Yes." Lee answered after a brief silence but looked away in dismay from the kind eyes that glanced at him. Song immediately felt a sort of kinship. He had endured the same hardships she had faced, she felt it.

Elyrie pushed around the duck on her plate nervously as she listened to the conversation. Iroh stopped slurping his noodles as well. With a nervous look, he watched his nephew put down his plate.

Song and her mother were kind enough not to press the subject any further. Elyrie was relieved, but she also felt a sting. These kind women were driven from their home, possibly in the same way Zhao had burned down an entire village. Every hair in her neck rose at the memory and her heart started to pound rapidly. She could still hear the screaming of the women and children ringing in her ears.

"Are you alright?" she heard a voice say to her from far away, "You look pale." A soft hand was placed on her own, which brought her back to the present. She saw that Song's mother had placed her hand on her own. With a soft squeeze, she tried to calm her.

"Yes," she managed to say, "Thank you." She saw that her knuckles had turned white, that is how hard she squeezed the chopsticks in her hand.

"I am sorry if we brought back painful memories." Song said with an apologetic look in her chocolate-brown eyes.

"No, it is fine, truly" Elyrie said quickly as she lifted her chin and smiled, "It was a long time ago."

Elyrie felt the eyes of the two men on her, but she purposely avoided their gaze. They didn't knew about Zhao's cruelties. She had never told them about it. About how he planned to burn down an entire village and all the people with it. About the little boy who cried for his mother after Zhao had taken him hostage _._ How he mercilessly had threatened a child to make her obey him. How he had locked her up and tried to break her spirit. How he wanted to kill her by slitting her throat that night on the North Pole. _One way or another, you shall become my wife._

Iroh and Zuko saw that she was lying. _What is she thinking about?_ Zuko mused when she saw the colour return to her face. But she didn't meet his eyes as she continued eating her duck. He envied her. Whatever it was that was haunting her, she pushed it away with so much ease.

For him, on the other hand, it felt as if someone had plunged a fiery dagger into his heart. Song's story reminded him of his own father. Oh, he was fighting in the war, all right. He wás the war.

His father. It had been so long since he had seen him. He hadn't seen his mother for ages, but he could easily remember her. Her beautiful face, her pale skin and her kind eyes. Her voice, soft and gentle, even when she scolded him or Azula if they misbehaved. But his father didn't seem to have a face. He knew he had long, black hair and the same amber coloured eyes Azula had. But for some reason he couldn't remember his fathers face.

His voice he did remember, scolding him every time he did something which made him unworthy of being the heir to the throne.

_You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher._

"If you will excuse me," Zuko suddenly said while standing up from his seat, "I think I need some fresh air."

It struck Elyrie how sad he suddenly looked. Iroh saw it too and put down his plate with a sigh. This was what he had been afraid of. It had been inevitable that Ozai's rejection would come back to haunt Zuko.

"Is he all right?" Song asked Elyrie when Zuko had shut the door behind him.

"I wish I knew." Elyrie answered with a doubtful look in his eyes.

* * *

"Zuko?" a voice brought him out of his wanderings. Elyrie walked towards him and sat down next to him on the patio, "Are you alright?"

He didn't look at her but kept staring in front of him to nothing in particular. The message he conveyed was not that hard to read: _I don't want to talk about it._

"They will serve tea in a moment, won't you join us?" she then asked as she tucked her legs under her. Zuko shook his head and fixed his gaze again on the darkness in front of him. Dozens of fireflies danced around them, like little stars against a black sky.

Elyrie followed the movements of the fireflie while waiting for Zuko to say something. However, he seemed not particularly eager to speak. So, she sighed and stood up to go back inside. Sometimes being alone was the best thing. Besides, she knew Zuko could shut as tightly as a clam if there was something he didn't wish to talk about. Like a clam, he would open when the timing was right. Or when slammed against a rock with force, but she considered that a bit to rash.

"Elyrie," Zuko suddenly said as he turned his head to her. The fact that he used her full name drew her attention. He almost never used her full name when they were together. "Yes?" she replied as she turned back to him.

"What is it that happened to you?" He asked, his golden eyes capturing hers. He saw her eyes widen at his question and averted her gaze from his, while the fireflies danced around her.

Elyrie knew she could have expected that question sooner or later. Nervously, she started to turn her ring around her finger. "Zuko," she said slowly, "I don't want to talk about it."

It was only half true. It wasn't so much that she didn't want to, it was that she couldn't talk about it without getting upset. The ruthlessness of the man who had abused her and who she might have married was still an open wound. Subconsciously, she touched the small scar on her temple. Less than three months ago, she had received that scar due to Zhao's recklessness. If it hadn't been for Zuko, she would have died in that Temple.

Zuko would understand, she knew he would. But she just couldn't make herself talk about it. Not now. Not yet.

"I see." Zuko replied impassively, but not breaking eye contact. He wanted to press the subject, but instinctively felt she would evade every question if he tried. She was rather good at not answering questions if she didn't want to.

Nevertheless, it made him even more eager to know what bothered her this much. He suspected that it had something to do with Zhao. Uncle had told him how Zhao had kept her prisoner after he tried to burn a village down. But she had never talked about it and it hurt to think she didn't trust him enough to share her sorrows.

Elyrie opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something but closed it again after a couple second. Zuko raised one questioning eyebrow, but she didn't reply and walked back to the door. Zuko heard the door slam shut, slightly harder than was necessary. _Lily, what is haunting you?_ he thought over and over again as he stared into the darkness.

Inside, he heard to soft tinkeling sounds of ceramic. His Uncle's deep laugh and Elyrie's high voice were audible on the patio. He didn't feel the need to join the cosy tea party. It just wasn't like him to join and smile, like Elyrie and his Uncle both could. He envied them. They had what he didn't: the ability to turn away from their sorrows.

When he heard Elyrie's laughing inside, it was almost unthinkable she was haunted by her memories. He didn't knew why it hurt so much that she didn't want to share her story. She was a strong woman and she wasn't easily broken. She wasn't the least bit afraid of Azula, so what was it that made the memory of Zhao so terrifying to her?

* * *

Song's caring heart couldn't help to feel pity for the young man who sat alone on her patio. She looked at the young woman, who was helping her mother clear the table after they had finished their tea.

"Let us at least help you clean up," Lianna said as she picked up the plates from the table, "You have already been so generous."

"Are you sure?" Song asked the blue-eyed girl, who immediately nodded to her. "That is the least we could do." she answered cheerfully.

Lianna picked up a cloth and started washing the dishes, lively chattering with her mother about the china. Mushi helped with cleaning the table and piped in about his favourite tea flavours. Song chuckled, since it was exactly his love for tea that had caused the old man trouble today.

"I insist you take this with you." her mother said as she started to wrap the leftovers from the roast duck.

"You are too kind." Mushi answered with a wide smile and a loving gaze to the roast duck.

Amidst this friendly chatter, Song saw her chance to slip outside to the patio. The lone figure of Lee sat cross-legged on the edge, his gaze fixed at something in the dark.

"Can I join you?" She asked softly. Lee didn't respond, or even looked at her when she sat down next to him. She didn't blame him for his sombre mood. It had been years since her village had been invaded and she still dreamt about that day from time to time.

"I know what you've been through," she said when he continued his silence, "We've all been through it." She slowly lifted her hand to touch his scar. "The Fire Nation has hurt you."

But before she could even reach for it, Lee grabbed her wrist rather forcefully. Without even looking at her, he pushed her arm away from his scar.

"It's okay," she said compassionately. She wanted to let him know she understood his pain, so she placed her left leg in front of her. "They've hurt me too." she whispered as she lifted her pants over her knee, exposing her calve.

Zuko's eyes widened in shock when he saw Song's leg. From her ancles to her knee, it was covered in red scars in the shape of flames. It was the kind of scar you got when your clothing was set on fire and it caught the skin in the most painful way.

Song saw his shocked expression and looked at her own leg. Her scar was not as severe as the one on Lee's face, but it still carried a painful memory with it.

"I ran from the soldiers, but my clothing was set on fire by the flames that engulfed our house." She answered his silent question. It looked much better than it had been, mostly due to her mother's knowledge of ointments and herbs.

"It is why I became a healer," she added as she pulled her pants back over her leg, "I want to help people heal their wounds, because nobody should have to endure such pain."

At that moment, Uncle and Elyrie came out of the door. Zuko immediately stood up and walked away from Song.

"Thank you for the duck," Iroh said while taking the small package from the older woman, "It was excellent."

"You're welcome." Songs mother answered with a smile, "It brings me pleasure to see someone eat my cooking with such gusto."

"Much practice." Iroh chuckled as he patted his stomach in a contented manner.

"Thank you both so much for tonight," Elyrie said as she bowed before the two women, "I have enjoyed myself immensely."

At that moment, Zuko suddenly turned around and started to walk away.

"Junior!" his Uncle said, slightly irritated by his lack of manners, "Where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people."

Zuko turned around and bowed. "Thank you." he said, his tone not matching his words. As soon as he had said it, he turned on his heals and faced the darkness in front of him.

"I know you think there is no hope left in the world, but there is hope!" Song said to Lee's back, "The Avatar has returned!"

"Yes," Lee answered bitterly, "I know."

Song frowned her eyebrows at his tone, but both Elyrie and Uncle sucked in their breath. Thanking the women one more time, they followed Zuko as he started to walk away.

Zuko's pace quickened, only wanted to get away from this place as far and as fast as he possibly could. He pushed open the small gate, but halted when he saw an ostrich-horse next to the house. Without saying a word, he unfastened it from its post. Swiftly mounting the ostrich-horse, he led it to Uncle and Elyrie.

"What are you doing?" Iroh whispered in shock, "These people just showed you great kindness!"

"They are about to show us a little more kindness." Zuko said in a matter-of-fact tone. He extended his hand to both his Uncle and Elyrie. "Well?" he demanded impatiently when neither took his hand

"Zuko" Elyrie hissed at him with fury in her eyes, "You can't do this."

"And you can't walk." he answered with a straight face.

"We're not stealing." She said, ignoring his comment as she crossed her arms. Zuko growled under his breath. "We'll leave without you then."

"Go ahead" she shot back without attempting to move, "But don't you think the Fire Nation has taken enough from them?" She saw his jaw clench and she knew she had hit the target.

 _Damn stubborn girl,_ Zuko thought. He knew she wasn't about to yield in this regard. But he also knew she wasn't able to walk any long distances anymore.

"If I am not taking this one, it will be another." he warned her as he motioned to the surrounding houses.

"If you have the incredible need to steal," she retorted, "Then do it by someone who has more than one ostrich-horse."

"Do you see such a place nearby?"

"No, which is exactly why I said it."

Zuko scoffed at her and extended his hand again to his Uncle. "Are you coming or not?" he asked in a rough voice.

"Uncle, please" Elyrie said as she turned to the older man, "You have to agree with me on this?"

"I do," he admitted as he turned to his nephew, "Zuko, she is right."

Without waiting for Zuko's answer, Elyrie grabbed the reins of the ostrich-horse and gently pulled him back to his place. Zuko jumped off the animal with a frustrated noise and kicked some sand in her direction.

"Don't expect me to carry you." Zuko warned her when she limped slightly back to Uncle.

She didn't respond and didn't look at him, which for some reason made him even more angry.

"You two are impossible!" he said as he stormed off into the direction of the forest.

* * *

The next few days, they travelled in silence. Zuko had stolen two ostrich-horses from a large mansion which had at least a 100 of them. Even though Elyrie did not agree, she was glad she was able to let her aching feet rest, as Song had ordered her to. However, she and Zuko had barely spoken to each other after they had departed from Songs house. He was too angry and she was too stubborn. Iroh knew they would eventually come to their senses, but until then he wasn't about to intervene.

The leftovers Song and her mother had given them had provided them with food for two days. When it ran out, they decided to try their luck in a small village along the main road.

Elyrie sat down against a wall which passed by the main street. Zuko and Uncle Iroh followed her example and took the time to rest. It was a busy street with a lot of people and merchants passing by. Elyrie even saw a cart with masks for sale in front of them.

Iroh took off his straw hat and kept it up to the passing people. "Are you going to beg?" Zuko said vexed.

Uncle simply nodded while he said to a passing man "Spare coins for weary travellers?" He received a few copper coins and smiled gratefully at the man.

Zuko was less pleased. "This is humiliating!" he said angrily while he folded his arms, "We are royalty, these people should give us what we want."

Elyrie rose her eyebrows at this statement. They hardly looked royal at that moment with those worn off clothes and undone hair. She could hardly imagine what she looked like at that moment. _Probably just as homely_ , she thought. It had been days since someone had fixed her hair or she had put on perfume. She tried to keep herself as clean as possible and luckily enough Zuko and Uncle shared her dedication to hygiene.

Uncle was not fazed by Zuko's criticism: "They will if you ask nicely." he said as he lifted his finger in a wise tone. A young woman passed by at that moment. "Spare change for a hungry old man?" Iroh asked as he pouted his lips to the woman.

"Ahww," the woman smiled at him and took a coin from her sleeve, "Here you go."

"The coin is appreciated," Iroh said with a grin, "But not as much as your smile!"

The woman giggled as she walked away. Zuko slapped his forehead in frustration at his uncle's antics. Elyrie repressed her own giggle, but it died down when a man casted a shadow over them.

Elyrie immediately felt a chill going over her at the sight of the man. He was tanned with a scraggly beard and he wore two broadswords on his back. He gave them a sly smile, directed at Uncle.

"How about some entertainment in exchange for…" he said as he dramatically pulled a shiny coin from his pocket, "a gold coin?"

"We are not performers" Zuko said annoyed.

"Not professional, anyway" Uncle said cheerfully while standing up. _He wouldn't_ , Elyrie thought horrified. Uncle was many good things, but a singer was not one of them. Before she could say anything, Iroh started to sing on the top of his lungs and terribly off-key:

_It's a long long way to Ba Sing Se_

_But the girls in the city_

_They look so pretty!_

Elyrie clasped her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile since it was almost comical how terrible his performance was. Her urge to smile quickly died for the second time when she saw the face of the man lighten up in a sadistic manner.

"Come on old man, it is a gold coin." He said in an annoyed voice as he drew his swords. "Come on, dance!"

Elyrie saw Zuko's jaw clench when the man drew his swords. She knew he would attack the man if he would come a step closer to his Uncle. She put her small hand on Zuko's knee and just as the man prepared to make Uncle dance by hitting on his feet, she quickly stood up and continued the song:

_"It's a long long way to Ba Sing Se_

_But you can always find a path_

_You are always free to begin again_

_And you're always free to believe_

_When you find the place where your heart belongs_

_You'll never leave."_

At the moment she started to sing, the man lowered his swords. Even though she trembled slightly, her voice was crystal clear. She kept eye contact with him, to be sure that he would not strike at Uncle. He stared at her with his mouth open. She sang the whole song, all five verses, with all her might to keep his attention.

_It is so sweet_

_That you'll really liked to meet_

_The girls from Ba Sing Se_

When she was finished with the last sentences, she heard a small applause. Surprised, she looked around and saw that a small crowd had gathered to listen to her. She hadn't noticed it, because she was so focused on the man that tried to hurt Uncle. She was flattered, but kept her face straight.

She turned back to the man and raised one eyebrow. "How is that for a performance?" she said in a haughty tone. That sleezy no-good of a man might think that they were simple travellers, but that was no reason to treat them as if they were worthless.

Zuko glanced at Elyrie when she straightened her back and raised one eyebrow at the man. For a moment, he saw the attitude of someone with royal blood. She lifted her chin proudly and gave him an arrogant look, as if to say that he was beneath her at that moment. He couldn't help but admire her pride.

The man was taken aback for a moment, but then started to laugh. "No professional performers you say?" he said with a head tilt to Zuko, "This girl sings like an angel." He took a step closer to her. "Sing another song for me, pretty girl." he added in a sleezy tone while licking his lips.

Finally, Zuko stood up and said in a firm tone "I think you have heard enough. Keep your money and leave." He placed his hand on Elyrie's shoulder and lifted his chin as well. Almost as a reflex, Elyrie placed her hand over his to signal their unity.

The man looked at him, irritated that he refused him. He took another step closer to Elyrie, but Zuko moved slightly in front of her and towered over the man. This time, Elyrie didn't even bother to intervene. She knew Zuko would wring his neck if he as so much lifted a finger to her or Uncle. And the man seemed to realise this too.

He narrowed his eyes at the young man in front of him, who was at least 10 inches taller. He didn't like it when he was refused something he wanted and right now: he wanted that girl. She didn't seem to be intimidated, which was a welcome change. He could take her 'guard' down with his swords, but he doubted he would be fast enough. He weighed his chances and finally backed down.

He tossed the coin to Elyrie, who let it fall at her feet. "Here, sparrowkeet. You earned it." With a last dark look at Zuko, the man turned around and left.

After the man had left, Elyrie's face finally broke in a smile and bowed to the crowd. The crowd started to break apart, but not before most of them threw more coins in Uncle's straw hat. She picked up the gold coin the man had tossed her and flipped it in her hand. She and Zuko exchanged a quick look and she gave him a grateful smile. He simply nodded in return. Uncle sat down again and said in a content voice "Such a kind man."

Elyrie smiled at him, touched by his goodness. She flipped the coin another time before saying "So, who is hungry?"


	34. Listen With Your Heart

"Where did you get these?" Iroh asked when Zuko dropped two barrels of food at his feet.

"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko growled before he turned on his heels to walk straight out of the cave again.

Elyrie wanted to ask him where he was going, but she knew better by now. She pulled her legs closer to her chest and placed her chin on her knees. Zuko had been in a particular foul mood the last few days. She didn't blame him though. She herself had trouble keeping up her spirits with the hardships they faced.

Her gaze went to the barrel filled with pastries at the opening of the cavern. She wasn't gullible enough to think Zuko had paid for them. Uncle saw her look and offered her one of the sweet treats, but she simply shook her head as she chewed on her lip.

"Having principles is important, dear" Iroh said while licking the cream from the pastry from the corner of his mouth, "But they don't fill your stomach."

"I know" she sighed as she picked up the jam-and-cream filled treat. The sweet smell reached her nostrils. She took a small bite and chewed it slowly. It was delicious and rich and decadent. The vanilla cream was velvety and smooth, as well as the raspberry jam. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something so delicious.

And it made her nauseous.

She couldn't shake the feeling they might have been taken from people who needed it more than they did. True, it were luxury items and probably only the richest could afford to pay for them but that didn't made her feel better. She kept thinking about Song and her mother, who had shown them so much kindness even though they had lost everything they had when they fled.

It was a feeling she was unable to shake. Without saying another word, she stood up and straightened her tunic. She pushed her short curls in a bit of a model, for as best she could, and put on her cap and worn off shoes. Her feet were healed completely, but she did need new shoes.

"Where are you going?" Iroh asked while chewing on his third pastry as she walked out of the cave. His mouth was completely covered with the cream and sugar, which made Elyrie chuckle.

"I'm going to see if someone needs a hand and is willing to pay for it." She answered while standing on her toes. She was eager to leave the damp cave. "It is a market day in the town, so I might be able to find a job?"

"Be careful!" Iroh warned her as she walked off into the direction of the village, "Make sure you're back before sunset!"

"I will!" she shouted over her shoulder.

The two ostrich-horses were waiting by the entrance of the cave and she saw that Zuko had brought food for them as well. _Well, I can't say he doesn't think about others,_ she mused while pondering whether to take the ostrich-horse with her to the village. She decided against it, since it was a short walk to the nearest village.

Like every other town in the Earth Kingdom, this village had a market day on which the entire town seemed to gather around the travelling merchants. Uncle, Zuko and she had travelled further into Earth Kingdom territory and everywhere they went, there was a stark contrast between the rich and the poor. For every job, there were at least six pair of hands willing to take it. Most of them were refugees, just like she was.

After two hours of walking around town, Elyrie hadn't found any sort of job. She got the same response over and over again: Sorry, no need. She shouldn't have been surprised: this town was a well-known place for passing travellers and thus as well for refugees. It seemed like everybody needed the money.

After a while, she sat down on the steps of a large stone building which dominated the square, probably the town hall. Sitting cross-legged, she looked at the different stalls on the square. The smells of freshly baked bread and roasted meat drifted her way. Her mouth began to water again, but she bit on her fist to repress the growling sounds of her stomach. A quick look around assured her that there were more people like herself sitting down, begging for scraps.

While observing the passing people, she fiddled with her ring on her right hand. The sapphire caught the sunlight and glittered like waves of the ocean. How much was it worth? Probably enough to feed them for at least a couple weeks. She could sell it to make sure they wouldn't starve. To make sure Zuko wouldn't need to steal to feed them.

She sighed as her chest constricted at the thought of parting with it. She knew she couldn't. So she decided she couldn't give up looking for another way to make money just yet. She lowered her hand again and looked at the people from the market. There had to be a way to make money, right?

 _You could sing_ , a little voice said from inside her. The little voice she had tried to repress the entire day since she considered singing her last option. Well, second-last option since she just decided that selling her ring was her last option.

The last time singing had managed to provide them with some money, but she had done it merely to distract one particular rude man. She'd never intended to make a display of herself, but it had happened just the same.

But was making a spectacle of herself worse than starving and stealing? Did she dare to sing? She had never sung for so many unknown people, but it was worth a shot, right? She had observed several musicians on their way here and everyone seemed to be willing to pay for a few moments of amusement.

But she didn't have an instrument, so could she sing? _You didn't need one last time,_ the voice persisted as she tried to talk herself out of it.

She leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees when she inspected the town square. It was crowded with a wide range of colourful people who went shopping. She saw multiple purses, full of money, passing by. She played with her cap and as she was turning it around in her hands, she decided it was perfect to place in front of her if she were to sing.

What was she about to sing? Her mother's lullaby? _No, that is too personal_ , she immediately decided. It had to be a song she could sing without an instrument accompanying her. And no song from the Fire Nation, because that would only make people suspicious.

The last song she had sung with Zuko on the beach? That one was perfect; short enough to be over as soon as possible and easy to listen to.

Did she really dare to sing on het own? _I must be losing my mind,_ she thought as she inhaled deeply and straightened her back. Standing up and stepping forward, she placed herself strategically on the side of the square. _Well, here goes nothing,_ she thought when she closed her eyes and began the first verse _._

_There are times I think that no one seems to listen  
_ _There are times I think they listen but don't hear  
_ _There are times I think they hear but something's missing  
_ _The thoughts behind the words aren't clear_

Elyrie opened her eyes and looked around her. Nobody stared at her in horror, which was a good start. She chuckled, since the lyrics matched her situation unironically. With new confidence, she continued the verse.

_So they're saying something they're not saying  
_ _They think I mean something I don't mean at all  
_ _Do we raise our voices, miscommunicating?  
_ _Or simply say nothing at all?_

_Is there another way to say it  
_ _In a way that can be heard?  
_ _Let me see if I can put it into words_

People had stopped in their tracks when she began to increase her volume, so she could be heard over the rattling of carriages and the voices of the merchants. A small crowd gathered around her, but now she was completely aware of it. She smiled broadly when she started the refrain.

_I can hear you  
You can hear me  
When we listen with our hearts_

_I understand you  
You understand me  
That's a place where we can start_

_Words of kindness and forgiveness_ _  
_ _Bring us closer, not apart_ _  
_ _When we speak our minds_ _  
_ _And listen with our hearts_

She sang that afternoon until her voice gave out.

* * *

"She still hasn't returned?" Zuko asked his Uncle when twilight approached. Iroh shook his head and looked worriedly at the darkening sky. It would soon be completely dark.

"I'll go look for her." Zuko said as he walked out of the cave, "You stay here in case she comes back."

Without waiting for a response from his Uncle, Zuko walked straight to the hollow tree where his new Blue Spirit mask was hidden. He had stolen it from the carriage in one of the first villages they visited. His Blue Spirit disguise allowed him to stalk in the night and remain hidden in the shadows. Letting the mask glide in his bag, he took it with him just in case.

He practically ran over the main road to the city gate, praying she would have gone to the nearest village. On his way, he saw a lot of merchants leaving the town and the street lights were already lit. _Where the hell is she?_ He thought as he looked around the town square. The last merchants were still packing their belongings, so he walked over to them.

"Have you seen a young girl?" Zuko asked the first merchant he saw, "Auburn curls and about this tall?" he added as he raised his hand to the level of his chin.

The merchant looked puzzled, but his wife seemed to have a better memory. "Oh, you mean the singer?" she asked from behind the chart, "That was a sweet girl." She nodded to her husband as she lifted a heavy basket, filled with apples. "We have just sold her some fruit."

 _Singer?_ Zuko thought in disbelief, but it did fit Elyrie's description so he nodded. "She was in a hurry to leave when she saw that it was about to get dark," the merchant added as he tapped is finger against his chin, "She went into that direction, maybe ten minutes ago." With his index finger, he pointed to the direction of the city gate.

Zuko thanked the couple and quickened his pace. She couldn't have come over the main road, otherwise he would have seen her. _She could have gotten lost in the dark_ , he mused as his eyes scanned the surroundings. Her sense of direction wasn't particulary good, so it was plausible she could have taken a wrong turn.

The streets were emptying now that everyone returned to their homes. Only a couple of sleezy looking types were out, which didn't raise Zuko's hopes.

"Hey handsome," he heard a female voice yell from across the street. He looked up and saw an older women in a low cut top motioning to him to come to her, "You looking for a good time?" Zuko almost choked when the woman raised her skirt to just below her tigh. Quickly averting his eyes, he walked away. He didn't like this one bit.

It would probably be best if he didn't attract any more unwanted attention. Disappearing in the shadows, he put on his mask and swiftly climbed on the roof of the nearest building. He could search much faster when he had a look from above.

Jumping from roof to roof, he kept his eyes and ears open for any sign of her. The brawling of drunken men in the streets became louder and louder. _Lily,_ he mentally called her, _where are you?_ The fear that something had happened to her became greater and greater when he heard the comments of the men in the streets. A beautiful girl like her was bound to attract attention.

Just as he was about to search another part of town, he heard a familiar voice say: "I really, _really,_ don't."

And he knew that voice well enough to know something was very wrong.

* * *

 _Damn it_ , Elyrie mentally scolded herself for not paying attention to the time.

She had purchased most of her things immediately after she decided she had earned enough money for that day. The first thing she bought were new shoes for herself to prevent another disaster with blisters and injuries. And just in case they got themselves injured, she had also bought enough bandages and ointment to last at least a year. Finally, she had spend the last money on groceries to feed them for the next week. _Healthy food_ , she thought amused when she filled up her basket.

Humming contently to herself, she had made her way back to the city gate and the forest. The street merchants were clearing out their charts and most people disappeared into the safety of their homes. _He will be moody for sure,_ she grinned to herself when she pictured Zuko's reaction to all the healthy food. He was not necessarily a picky eater, but he did have a secret sweet tooth.

Lost in her thoughts, she had missed the last turn in the dark and ended up in an alley with a dead end. "Oops." she said sheepishly but as she started to turn around, she saw a silhouette approaching. In a reflex, she stepped behind a pile of wooden boxes that were conveniently dumped there. She was in no mood to get robbed, especially since she could not use her bending here. She wasn't afraid, but merely cautious.

"Who's there?" the silhouette said while he drew the swords from his back. Dual broadswords. _Damn it_ , she cursed when she recognised the man. It was the same man who had tried to attack Uncle a few days ago and who had tried to humiliate him for money. Uncle might have been so humble not to take offense, but she was less forgiving. Moreover, she had no intention of another encounter with that sleezy excuse of a man.

"Show yourself!" the man yelled as he let his swords swing again and his voice came closer. It was inevitable that he would discover her and she didn't particularly like the idea of meeting the end of a sword. With a sigh, Elyrie stepped from behind the boxes with gritted teeth.

"I took a wrong turn," she said in a calm voice, hoping he would let her pass without issue, "Pardon me."

"Ahh" he said, lowering his swords as soon as he recognised her, "The little sparrowkeet. I am glad to see you again."

"Thank you." was her short reply. "Have you followed me here?" the man asked while casually walking closer to her. Elyrie flexed her hand in an effort to calm herself, but her voice came out annoyed when she answered: "No."

"My name is Elai." the man continued, not in the least bothered by her short replies. She didn't respond, so he swiftly moved in front of her and forced her to stop.

Elyrie leaned as if to go around him, but Elai quickly lunged to the side. She made a move in the opposite direction, but he did the same. Finally, she rolled her eyes and exhaled. " _What?_ " she snarled, not even trying to be polite anymore.

"You know," he said while standing in front of her, "A girl as pretty as you should not be begging in the streets. If you want, I can-"

"I don't." She interrupted him without bothering to look at him.

"Come on, be a sweet girl" he said while taking another step closer to her, "I didn't do anything to you, now did I? Don't you want to get to know me better?"

"I really, _really_ , don't." she said through her clenched teeth while trying to step aside. _Please,_ she mentally pleaded as her eyes searched for the main road, _I really don't want to be forced to firebend._

What neither of them realised was that they were being watched by a figure in the shadows. The mask concealed his face, but his hands were clenched into fists.

"Do you think you are better then me?" Elai said in a low voice as he came even closer. He had to admit that he had liked her spirit, but enough was enough. He was not about to be put down repeatedly by such a tiny girl. She didn't look the least bit intimidated again. He licked his lips as his eyes went over her.

"Yes." Elyrie lifted her chin arrogantly in response. A little voice inside her told her she'd better not provoke him, but her pride refused her to back down.

Suddenly, he pushed her roughly against the wall. In a reflex, she placed her hands on his chest to keep him from coming any closer to her. She dropped the basket and the groceries rolled over the stones.

Elai grabbed her right hand and studied it. "Ah," he said while clicking his tongue, "Such a pretty ring for a beggar." He had been right: this girl was no ordinary beggar. That arrogant pride was something you only saw the richest, most privileged people express. A diabolical grin crossed his lips. Oh, he was going to enjoy making this one squirm beneath him and beg him for mercy.

Elyrie pulled her hand from his grip, but he forced her into a corner. "Sing for me." the man commanded as he pushed her back against the wall and placed his hands next to her face, "Or you can kiss me." His eyes looked at her as if she was a prey and he was about to pounce on her.

"Let me pass." she said, trying to push him away from her. He was so close now that she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He didn't bother to move and when she finally looked into his eyes, her heart started to pound in panic. The predatory gaze was a look that reminded her of Zhao. Adrenaline rushed throughout her body as she tried to push him away, but he wouldn't move. He had her cornered and Elyrie knew it.

And in the shadows, Zuko knew it too.

Sparks came from the corners of his mouth as he exhaled in anger. He jumped off the roof to pull him away from her, but before he could grab the man by his shoulders he heard a loud cry echoe through the night.

Zuko froze for a second. Had that man hurt Elyrie? His heart went cold at the thought. The cry was one of pain, but it didn't sound like her.

Instead, Zuko saw that the man lowered his head and slumped forward as if he wanted to throw up. Then, he heard a rather sickening sound of a smack, obviously one of flesh against bone. It was followed by a duller thud as the man staggered and fell on his back on the stones.

Elyrie shook her hand, stretched her fingers and inspected her knuckles. The skin was broken, but it was worth it. When Elai had bent forward to kiss her, her knee had found a very obvious place. And when he had bent forward in pain, she had given him the hardest punch in the face she had ever given anyone.

"What the…?" she heard a familiar voice. Elyrie looked up and saw a masked figure looking at the unconscious man lying on the floor.

"Fancy seeing you here." Elyrie said as she stepped over the man, not bothering to pay attention to his state. She picked up the bread and fruit from the floor and inspected them for bruises or dirt. They had managed to survive the ordeal, so she quickly assembled them in the basket. "Here to help me?" she asked in a conversational tone, as if she had not just knocked out a grown man twice her size.

"As if you needed it," Zuko replied, not even bothering to hide how impressed he was as he took off his mask to take a better look at the unconscious figure on the ground, "You knocked him out flat." He squatted next to man to check on him. Not that he particularly cared for his wellbeing, but he was curious to see the damage Elyrie had managed to bring to him.

His bleeding nose was somewhat off-centre and a dark bruise covered his cheekbone. When he looked closer, Zuko saw that his cheekbone bled as well. He looked back up and saw that Elyrie shook her right hand. The hand that had hit him was conveniently the one on which she wore her ring. And if something was hard, it was gold and stone.

"He was asking for it," Elyrie said while she rubbed her knuckles, "No, wait. That is not true. He was asking for a kiss." Her lips twisted in a devilish grin and she looked rather pleased with herself. "But my fist kissed his face, does that count?"

A faint whimper came from the figure on the floor as he rolled onto his stomach. He was regaining consciousness as he rolled onto his stomach to push himself back up, clutching his obviously broken nose. Blood ran over his hand as he tried to stop the bleeding. His gaze was foggy and he saw stars. When he sat back on his knees to clear his head, he looked up at Zuko and his eyes widened in horror.

"Do you mind?" Zuko asked Elyrie as he motioned to the man. "Not at all." Elyrie answered while studying her right hand again.

With a swift kick, Elai was knocked out for the second time and landed on his stomach on the ground. His swords, which he had put back in the scabbard, were still attached to his back. Without saying a word, Zuko took them from him. And for once, Elyrie didn't object to him stealing from others.

"Let's go back," Zuko said while pointing one sword in the direction of the forest, "Uncle was worried about you." _Although there was truly no need,_ he thought as he looked at the pathetic figure on the floor. The bleeding had stopped, but even in the dark he saw that his bruise was starting to turn a blackish-blue colour.

Zuko tied the leather scabbard on his back and placed the swords in it. It gave him a safe feeling knowing he had the weapons with him, especially now that they had to walk back in the dark.

"Thank you," Elyrie suddenly said, turning around so fast that her short curls flew in her face, "For coming to find me."

"You didn't need my help." Zuko answered as he shrugged. He meant it, but he couldn't help imagining what might have happened had the situation been different and had he not been there to help her. His jaw clenched and he resisted the urge to knock the unconcious man for the second time, just to make sure he would have a splitting headache tomorrow. _Serves him just right._

"No," Elyrie admitted with a lopsided grin. She was proud of herself, he could see that. "But it is a comforting thought to know that you are there when I need you."

* * *

**This is actually the first part of a larger chapter I had in mind, but it became longer than I intended so I decided to split it into two parts. The second part will be added soon!**

**Lots of love and stay safe! :)**


	35. Listen To Your Heart

"You did some serious shopping." Iroh said dryly while looking around the cave. When they had woken up the next morning, Zuko had filled the small space with brand new stuff, among which a pipa and a massive golden tea set.

When Zuko and Elyrie had returned to the cave the night before, Uncle was thrilled about the fresh food. They had tried to drastically reduced the graveness of the situation, but he had seen right through them. Zuko was a terrible liar and Elyrie was not much better when it came to lying to people she cared about. But, albeit after a stern lecture, Iroh had congratulated her on her resourcefulness to restrain from firebending while defending herself.

Elyrie looked from the expensive stuff back to Zuko with an arched eyebrow, but he avoided her look as he slumped against the walls of the cave. A quick scan of the cave made her realise that his mask and new dual broadswords were not here. _Probably hidden somewhere in the forest_ , she thought as she picked up an expensive burgundy-coloured rug, embroidered with gold. The image on the rug seemed to be a firebreathing dragon. It was so over-the-top that Elyrie had to wonder why Zuko of all things decided to take this.

"Zuko," Elyrie asked in a confused tone, "You know you don't need to do this? I can -."

"You're not going to sing anymore." Zuko interrupted her in a tone that indicated that he didn't wish to be countered, "It is far too dangerous."

"You said yourself that I managed very well yesterday!" she remarked indignantly. His sharp golden eyes snapped to her when she dropped the rug and crossed her arms.

"I did," he admitted as he crossed his arms as well and leaned back against the cave, "But that doesn't mean you need to go start looking for trouble."

In reality, he knew she was able to defend herself. He knew very well she'd manage without his help. He didn't object to her singing, but it was the fact that she managed to provide for them. It was another chip in his already wounded pride.

Since the dinner at Song's house, he had been struggling with the question what his purpose really was and what he could do with his life now that everything had fallen apart. Song said there was hope left because the Avatar had returned, but that was exactly the reason why he felt no hope at all. He had no prospects, no plans for the future and absolutely no idea how to go on like this.

And as if it wasn't humiliating enough, he felt unnecessary even with Uncle and Elyrie. Elyrie had been cheerfully skipping through these difficult times. She had made her opinion clear on the matter of stealing, but he couldn't be bothered now. It was some form of protest against her principles, to prove to her that he could get by himself. And then, she had earned money herself to feed them. It might never have been her intention to slight him, but it felt like that just the same.

Elyrie opened her mouth to fight Zuko on the matter, but she saw Uncle place his finger on his lips in the corner of her eye. Iroh shot a silent look, which was clear: _let him be._ Obediently, Elyrie closed her mouth but looked back with a puzzled look.

Iroh simply shook his head and motioned to the outside of the cave. He needed to talk with his nephew alone. Elyrie swiftly nodded as she understood the message.

"I'm going for a walk." Elyrie said instead and made her way out of the cave as she bit her tongue to prevent herself form adding the petty _I hope that is allowed_?

Zuko avoided her glare when she walked out of the cave. He remained sitting against the wall, slouching with his arms crossed.

There fell a silence when Zuko and Iroh were left alone in the cave. "Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asked, finally breaking the silence when he saw his Uncle picking up the heavy pot.

"To be honest with you," his Uncle replied as he put down the pot, "The best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or in a tin cup."

Zuko looked away again and didn't reply. Iroh was silent for a few more seconds as he walked over to his nephew and sat down beside him.

"I know we had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by." He said quietly as he placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder in a comforting way, "But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honour in poverty."

Zuko closed his eyes while he listened to his Uncle. He might be right, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had no honour left at this point. There was no honour for him in being a refugee or by starving on the side of the road.

"There's no honour for me without the Avatar." Zuko finally said while opening his eyes.

Iroh repressed an exhausted sigh. "Zuko," he said in a calm voice, hoping to get through to his nephew, "Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems." Iroh thought about their situation: Zuko was labelled a failure and both Elyrie and himself were considered enemies of the Fire Nations. The three of them were refugees with a price on their heads if they had the misfortune of running into Azula. "Not now." He added, as if the strengthen the truth that capturing the Avatar wasn't going to solve anything.

"Then there is no hope at all." Zuko said while turning away from his Uncle as he tried to stand up. He felt an emptiness inside himself as he thought about what his Uncle had said. It was true: capturing the Avatar wouldn't solve anything. Everything that had driven him the past five years was suddenly meaningless. So what was there to live for now?

"No, Zuko!" his Uncle said as he grabbed him by the shoulders, "You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts." Zuko leaned back as he closed his eyes again.

"In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself." His Uncle said gently, "That is the meaning of inner strength."

Zuko turned his face to his Uncle, who looked back at him with a sad look upon his face. He couldn't bear the compassion, so he abruptly stood up and pulled free from his Uncle's grasp.

Without going in a specific direction, he subconsciously followed the path he saw Elyrie take before she walked off.

Elyrie had been circling around an open spot in the forest to kill the time. She had no idea how long she had been walking there: it could have been 5 minutes or it could have been half an hour. She was a patient person, but she was terrible at telling time and she had no idea what to do while Iroh and Zuko were talking.

The leaves rustled behind her and she stopped in her tracks. Flexing her hands, she waited for the person who was responsible for the sounds.

"Zuko." She said when the familiar face came into view. He was apparently fed up, because he didn't bother to push the branches away, but set them on fire in front of him. "Going for a relaxing walk?" she asked dryly, trying to lighten the mood.

Zuko wasn't in the mood for her cheerfulness. He simply scoffed and wanted to walk past her.

"Zuko, would you please stop brooding?" she asked as he walked past her, sounding almost exhausted, "It is not going to change anything."

"Do you want me to be as insufferably cheerful as you always are?" he growled, "Is that going to change anything?"

"Well, it would make it a lot easier for me." She remarked bluntly. He averted his eyes and she immediately felt bad for snapping at him. "Look," she said, her voice much softer now, "I understand that this isn't ideal. I know you aren't happy with-,"

"Happy?" he interrupted her as he turned around with an angry expression on his face. All the frustration and all the anger he had bottled up and repressed over the past few days came rushing to the surface. He wanted to throw it all out, all at once. All the despair and anger he had felt, despite the compassion from Uncle and her. Their compassion and understanding made it somehow even worse.

"How could you possibly think that I would be happy here?" he yelled at her, surprising her as she stared at him with wide eyes, "Do you think we can sing and dance our way through this godforsaken country and live happily ever after?"

"I didn't expect you to-, " Elyrie tried, but as soon as she opened her mouth to answer, he cut her off again.

"You can never understand how it is." He continued, the dam broken as the flow of words continued, beating on her like merciless waves, "You would never understand how it feels to have your future taken away from you!"

"So you think this isn't difficult for me?" she said as her eyes darkened, "You think that it didn't take away the future I dreamed of?"

"Oh please, you told me yourself you had no plans!" Zuko growled back, "But I never choose to live as a fugitive!" To strengthen his words, he slammed one of the tree branches away from him while setting it on fire again. _With this rate, he will burn down the entire forest,_ Elyrie thought. He was acting like a child and it bothered her immensely.

"Then you are more than welcome to hand yourself over to Azula," She replied sharply, "But things will get better, even if they don't seem like it now."

Zuko looked at her as she stood straight with her arms crossed, her chin lifted and her blue eyes calmly observing him as he put out the fire. He gritted his teeth at her cool demeanour. Normally, she had a calming effect on him but now she only seemed to enrage him even further. He knew why: she showed the inner strength that he lacked. She would never give into despair, while he was practically running towards it by now. He turned around to walk away from her, but she wasn't about to let him off that easily.

"This isn't the end." He heard her voice behind him say. He could hear the sigh in her voice, as if she was exhausted.

"Life without the Avatar-", Zuko answered without turning around.

"- Is still life." She interrupted him, "You can still find something to live for."

"Like what? Like you?" he snarled at her as he spun around to face her. He had enough of people telling him to be happy and to be content with the situation.

Elyrie's eyes narrowed for a second before she composed herself. "Don't be ugly." She replied smoothly, but she dug her nails into the palm of her hand. It did hurt to hear him sneer at her like she didn't mean anything to him.

"No, I will be as insufferably cheerful as you are while everybody just hands you stuff."

They glared at each other before Zuko turned around again. Elyrie sighed deeply as she tried to recollect her thoughts. "I am so insufferably cheerful because I believe we can make something of this."

"Easy talk," Zuko said, "You can return to the Northern Tribe whenever you want. This is like a vacation to you, isn't it?"

He was being unreasonable and he knew it. She knew it too. She sighed and turned to walk away from this useless discussion.

"What?" she heard him call to her, "Too hard for you to hear it?"

"No," she replied as she turned around, her blue eyes glittering with anger, "Too hard for me to see it. It breaks my heart seeing you this way."

"Don't pity me." He growled at her. He was angrier than ever and filled with despair. The last thing he needed was someone pitying him. This was humiliating enough as it was.

"I'm not pitying you." she spat and she looked at him with such a cold gaze that it rivalled the cold he had felt on the North Pole.

"No, you _just_ care so much, don't you?" he roared as smoke came out of his nostrils and small flames escaped his lips.

"Listen to me, and listen _very_ carefully," Elyrie said in a low voice, her compassion melting away like ice in the scorching sun "I am not here for you. I am here because I want to protect the people that I love because my very presence is the reason they might be attacked again."

Zuko looked at her with narrowed eyes. For some reason, hearing her say that she wasn't here for him, but to protect her newfound family hurt more than her pity. It hurt to think that she would have otherwise left him, like everybody seemed to do. _I don't want you to leave me_ , he silently thought as she approached him with fire in her eyes.

"You are my friend and I care for you, but I am not naïve. As your friend, I want to help you but I am not going to hold you by the hand as you try to figure out what you want to do. Do you think Uncle and I know what we are doing here? We are refugees as well, but you don't see us whining about the situation."

Zuko wanted to interrupted her, but something in her blue eyes made him stop. Besides, even _if_ he tried to interrupt her now, she didn't give him the opportunity.

"You have two choices now: stay and make the best of it with us, or leave and figure it out on your own."

She had never spoken to him like this. She wasn't out of control, she didn't raise her voice or even showed a sign of a rising temper. But all the same, she was terrifying in her control over her emotions.

He wanted to respond, to outwit her, to make her feel at a loss for words. But he couldn't. He didn't have the strength to fight her. He didn't have the _will_ anymore to fight her. So, without answering her, he turned around and ran further into the forest.

Hours had passed before Zuko returned to the cave.

"Uncle." his baritone made Elyrie look up. She turned to him and saw that his face had taken on a peaceful look, as if all the stress had left him. It made her feel hopeful: he might have come to his senses. Nevertheless, she frowned when he purposefully ignored her.

Iroh turned around as well when he heard his nephews voice. Zuko's serious face betrayed no emotion as he said: "I thought a lot about what you said."

"You did?" Iroh replied as he felt his face brighten, "Good. Good."

"It's helped me realise something," Zuko said while taking a step closer to the cave, still trying to avoid looking at Elyrie's blue eyes. He could only disappoint one person. Two was too much, even now. "We no longer have anything to gain by travelling together. I need to find my own way."

Elyrie felt as is someone had punched her in the chest. A sideways glance made her realise that Uncle was just as surprised by the news as she was. "But-," she began, not really knowing what to say. Zuko didn't look at her, but picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder. Without saying another word, he untied one of the ostrich-horses and mounted it.

He waited for a moment and turned back. The sad look he read in his Uncle's eyes was painful, but he knew he had to leave. Then, because he couldn't help himself, he finally looked at Elyrie. His golden eyes met her sapphire eyes. He could read the hurt in her eyes, but it wasn't enough to convince him to stay. Then, he headed off and didn't look back.

"Why is he so incredibly stubborn?" Elyrie asked, kicking one of the pebbles in an attempt to have an outlet for her frustrations, "As if we are so happy with all of this."

She tried to feel sympathy for him, but she was angrier than she had ever been at him. She could live with the idea that he was angry at her, but the thing that frustrated her the most was the fact that he left his Uncle without so much as a goodbye. His Uncle, who had stand by him during all his struggles. She looked to her side but was surprised to see a serene look on the face of the older General.

"Uncle?" she asked with a puzzled look as she reached out to him, "Are you not frustrated?"

"No, dear." Iroh said while he took her hand and patted it in a soothing way, "Zuko will come around after he found his path again."

"Ahh," she replied in a sarcastisc tone, "That will only take five more years. How fun."

Iroh shook his head as he watched the girl press her lips together. It was a fascination sight: if she didn't want to show her emotions, her face could be unreadable. But when she didn't need to watch herself, she had such an expressive face that you could read her emotions effortlessly. Like now, when she was obviously angry and frustrated.

He let out a small chuckle, which made Elyrie raise her eyebrows. "Try to be patient, dear," he said gently, "He doesn't have the same luxury you have."

"And what luxury is that?" she asked, while still kicking the pebbles. For some reason, she wasn't in the mood for Uncle's wisdom at the moment. She was here as well, wasn't she? It wasn't as if this whole ordeal was a relaxing vacation for her.

"The fact that you knew, despite everything, that you were loved." Iroh replied calmy. As soon as he said it, she froze halfway another kick. Her blue eyes widened as she looked at him. Slowly nodding, he saw that she immediately understood what he was talking about. Zuko and she could not be more different, both in character and in upbringing. And that was exactly the reason why Zuko was so desperate now, while she had adapted to the situation quickly.

Elyrie never thought that one sentence could cut so deep so fast. Uncle didn't say it to make her feel guilty, but it was to let her remember how different Zuko's life had been compared to hers. Zuko was forced out of his country by his own father and his mother had simply disappeared one day. She, on the other hand, knew that despite her parents untimely deaths, that they had loved her unconditionally. They would never have left her, no matter what she did. Being loved wasn't something she considered a luxury, it was just how it had been. Only now did she realise how much of her confidence came from the love and nurture that she received. Not only from her mother and father, but from everyone around her.

Zuko, on the other hand, had to fight and excel to earn Ozai's affections. And even if he did excel, it was for the briefest moment. The kind of love he was used to wasn't given; it had to be earned. Such a shortage couldn't easily be filled.

At that moment, she vowed that she would never have Zuko question her love for him. Just like he never had to question Uncle's love for him, even though he might not realise it just yet.

"What are we to do now?" she asked quietly as she wrapped her arms around herself in a soothing manner.

"Did you think I was about to let him wander off on his own?" Iroh replied with a playful smile.

"But," Elyrie said, furring her brow, "You said that-,"

"I said that he would find his path again," Iroh repeated slowly and with a glimmer in his eyes, "He doesn't want us to be around right now, but if he needs us; we will be there." A sly smile crossed his face when he added: "It is not as if we have anything else to do, right?"

A slow smile spread across her lips as she thought about the goodness of the old man. _If only Zuko realised how much we love him,_ she mused as she gave Uncle a tight hug. He patted her on her short curls, like he did when she was younger.

"You truly are too good for this world, Uncle."

"You flatter me," he said, although he was touched by her kind words, "So, what do you say?"

"I'm in." she answered with a cocky smile, "He wouldn't last three days without us."

* * *

**Even though it pained me to separate them (again!), I felt that I needed to stay true to the original material. Moreover, I think Zuko really needed to hit his rock bottom so we can see his growth, like we saw with Elyrie in Book 1. And of course, _Zuko Alone_ is one of my favourite episodes, so I needed to keep it in.**


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